The domestic horse is a large, single-toed, ungulate mammal with an elongated body and long neck, often topped by a mane. Its domestication began in the Eurasian steppes about 6,000 years ago, evolving from multi-toed ancestors into animals adapted for fast running and high endurance.
Habits
It lives in hierarchical social herds, has a strong flight instinct as a defense mechanism, and spends much of the day grazing grass; it is active mainly in the morning and evening hours, periodically resting in the shade or in stables.
Reproduction
Sexual maturity at 2–4 years; the estrous cycle of mares repeats approximately every 19–22 days during the breeding season (spring–autumn), and gestation lasts an average of 320–340 days, usually resulting in a single foal (twins are very rare).
Distribution
Originally domesticated in the Eurasian steppes (Kazakhstan and surrounding area), the horse has spread to all continents (except Antarctica), adapting to habitats ranging from grasslands and steppes to temperate forests and mountainous regions, thanks to continued human use in transportation, agriculture, and sport.
