Horses Wallpapers 2

Like humans, horses are affected by weather, need to be housed and fed properly, and may experience sprains, strains and soreness of the back and legs. Illness or pain affect not only the way they move but the way they feel, so that a healthy horse will tend to be happier than one who isn’t feeling up to snuff. Some illnesses or injuries appear first as changes in mood; your normally jolly or equable equine may become moody, surly or unwilling when there's something physically wrong that hasn't yet appeared as lameness, sickness or other injury.



Horse shows
Main article: Horse show

Horse shows are held throughout the world with a tremendous variety of possible events, equipment, attire and judging standards used. However, most forms of horse show competition can be broken into the following broad categories:

* Equitation, sometimes called seat and hands or horsemanship, refers to events where the rider is judged on form, style and ability.
* Pleasure, flat, or under saddle classes feature horses who are ridden on the flat (not jumped) and judged on manners, performance, movement, style and quality.
* Halter, in-hand breeding, or conformation classes, where the horse is led by a handler on the ground and judged on conformation and suitability as a breeding animal.
* Harness classes, where the horse is driven rather than ridden, but still judged on manners, performance and quality.
* Jumping or Over Fences refers broadly to both show jumping and show hunter, where horses and riders must jump obstacles.



History of horse use
Main articles: Domestication of the horse and Horses in warfare
See also: Horses in the Middle Ages

Though there is controversy over the exact date horses were domesticated and when they were first ridden, the best estimate is that horses first were ridden approximately 4,500 BC. Indirect evidence suggests that horses were ridden long before they were driven. There is some evidence that about 6,000 years ago, near the Dneiper River and the Don River, people were using bits on horses, as a stallion that was buried there shows teeth wear consistent with using a bit.[1] However, the most unequivocal early archaeological evidence of equines put to working use was of horses being driven. Chariot burials about 2,500 BC present the most direct hard evidence of horses used as working animals. In ancient times chariot warfare was followed by the use of war horses as light and heavy cavalry. The horse played an important role throughout human history all over the world, both in warfare and in peaceful pursuits such as transportation, trade and agriculture. Horses lived in North America, but died out at the end of the Ice Age. Horses were brought back to North America by European explorers, beginning with the second voyage of Columbus in 1493.[2