Wild horse breeds
Since ancient times, people have tried to tame animals, and wild horses are no exception, which have become indispensable helpers in the household.
Wild horses
About wild horses
Wild horses, unlike domestic ones, are herd inhabitants. They live in the wild nature of the steppes, forests and among rocky mountains, live in European, Asian and African territories. So, in the USA these are mustang horses, in Russia - Przewalski's horses, in Asia - brumbi imported from Africa.
The horse herd includes several mares. In each individual herd, wild horses select one male, chosen by default by the entire herd as the leader. At the same time, all the animals of the herd impose many responsibilities on him. In addition to the fact that the male herd leader covers mares in his herd, acting as a guarantee of reproduction in the wild when mating, he is also responsible for the safety of all animals included in his controlled herd, protecting from the attacks of predators in the places where they live. The eldest mare in the herd is responsible for grazing and order in the herd, which, in fact, is the eldest, subjugating the rest of the mares that live in the herd. The mating season for a horse is in the spring or the first half of summer, pregnancy lasts 11 months.
The wild horse is often used when crossing to improve the working and conformation qualities of a new kind of various breeds.
Young stallions that have appeared in the herd live in their herd for some time, leaving it as they grow older, uniting with other stallions or organizing their own herd under their leadership. Such bachelors who stayed in a herd, where there is already a leader, are expelled until they reach the age of 3 years.
In the wild, there are often separate families of stallions, mares and foals, who prefer to stay away from the herd.
On Russian territory, there is an island called Vodny, where horses that have been caught in the wild are maintained. Modern horses on the island are called Russian Mustangs with a wayward character.
The first wild
The very first wild horses in the world that lived in European territory are considered to be extinct tarpans, which were divided into steppe and forest horses according to their habitat. This horse breed preferred to keep in small groups. Among the main distinguishing features, the description of the Tarpans includes a set of their external data, based on the photos that have survived to this day:
- these were horses of small height at the withers, reaching an average height of up to 1.35 m;
- the medium-sized strong limbs of the Tarpan ended in strong hooves;
- the tail of the animals is short, set rather low;
- short-haired mane protruding, in the color of the tail color.
Tarpans were mostly black-brown in color, or, as they call it, mouse-colored. However, there were representatives with a yellow-brown suit. Closer to the winter season, Tarpans brightened, acquiring a sandy color.
Tarpan acted as genetic material in the breeding of some horse breeds.Among them are well-known ponies, which appeared as a result of crossing Tarpan with domestic horses. He is an ancestor who appeared in the process of breeding new lines of the Heck horse.
A thick and densely folded woolen cover protected the Tarpan from the frost of European winters. The animals were distinguished by their activity and the ability to move long distances.
Przewalski's animal
The modern wild Przewalski's horses, preserved in natural conditions, are heard by many in the world. Today, the wild steppe horse is also bred in artificial conditions in order to preserve the population. The description of the representative of Przewalski refers him to a powerful stocky type of horses of rounded shapes, which are distinguished by their sandy color with a red tint and black-painted mane, tail and lower limbs.
The Przewalski breed today has no more than 2,000 individuals and is under a protected status in Russia. State programs have been introduced to preserve the horse.
In height, Przewalski's horse can reach up to 1.3 m and weigh from 0.3 to 0.35 tons. The wild steppe horse, due to its preserved natural instincts, retained its fearfulness. Strong limbs enable the horse to run fast. The herd way of life has developed in animals a stable instinct for self-preservation, actively protecting the offspring. When predators appear, animals create a living wall in the form of a circle around the stallions and mares that have not yet grown up, protecting them from danger.
American Mustangs
Former hunting objects of the American Indians, the wild Mustangs, in the United States today are found in the northern and southern regions and have become known throughout the world. Originally domesticated horses, they adapted to the conditions of the wild, choosing the American steppes for their residence, but were unable to maintain the population at the proper level due to the developed hunting on them.
The tough temper and love of freedom of American Mustangs, rooted over the years, contribute to the fact that few are able to saddle this horse.
Wild Mustangs are distinguished by their graceful movements and stamina. The description of the Mustangs characterizes these horses as proportionally built, muscular animals with strong limbs that allow them to travel long distances, therefore, it was not uncommon for the American Indians to catch savages in the places where they live in order to tame and use them as mounts.
Natives of America cannot be found in the nature of other countries. They are found exclusively on the prairies of America.
In the photo and video, the American wild Mustang looks like a powerful horse up to 1.5 m high at the withers with a square-folded constitution. An adult horse weighs up to 0.4 tons. The color of American Mustangs can be different: from black to red, sometimes from uniform to spotted.
Mediterranean Camargue
Many are sure that the wild inhabitant of the Mediterranean territory takes its ancestry from a line of horses called Solure, since their similarities in appearance in the photo and video can be clearly traced. The descriptive characteristics of the Camargue wild horses include their distinctive features:
- adults grow up to 1.35-1.5 m in height, therefore they are tall,
- the Camargue's head has a square shape, which gives the animal a rough appearance,
- the short body is angular, but proportionally folded.
The color of wild Camargue horses is initially black, but as they grow older, the foals noticeably brighten in color, approaching a light gray shade.
Domesticated Camargue is often in the service of a person on the farm, acting as a guard for bovine herds. Often these horses are used as sled horses. Camargue animals are quite hardy, therefore they are used as a labor force capable of being active for almost a day.In addition, the advantage of the Camargue for use in the economy is their longevity: the naturally wild Camargue live at home for up to 25 years of life.