Description
Horses are hoofed herbivorous mammals, members of the genus Equus, which first appeared 45–55 million years ago during the Eocene epoch. They began to be domesticated by humans around 4000 BCE.
Horses are adapted for running, allowing them to escape predators quickly, and possess an excellent sense of balance alongside a strong "fight-or-flight" response. Tied to this need to flee from predators in the wild is an unusual trait: horses are capable of sleeping both standing up and lying down, with younger horses tending to sleep much more than adults. Females, called mares, carry their young for about 11 months, and a young horse, called a foal, can stand and run shortly after birth. Most domestic horses begin training under saddle or in harness between the ages of two and four. They reach full adult development by age five and have an average lifespan of between 25 and 30 years.
Horses are adapted for grazing. An adult horse has 12 incisors at the front of the mouth, adapted for biting grass or other vegetation. At the back of the mouth, there are 24 premolars and molars adapted for chewing.
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