Horses are perhaps one of the best known animal friends of man. Their loyalty and service has undoubtedly made them the best of beasts of burden. Horses belong to the Equidae family and are also classified as mammals. There are several different species of horses which generally differ due to location. Throughout known history, horses have been used in various ways to aid man in his quest. They have been used as faithful steeds for knights or as a ride for travel across continents.
The earliest use of horses for domestic purposes has been recorded to be since 4000BC. In the world of today, most horses are domesticated and are bred by man for fulfilling their needs. However there are some wild horses still in some parts of the world. Most of these species of wild horses are endangered and all efforts are being made to save these species.
Horses generally live for about 25-35 years; however their life span generally varies upon breed and the environment in which they live. Due to their large sizes, generally ranging from 50-60 inches, they are not usually kept as pets, except at farms and large areas where they can move about freely and exercise daily. Different breeds of horses have different distinct features such as different colors, markings, length of manes and tail hairs etc.
Horses have been and are still being used for various purposes. Different breeds serve different purposes because of their temperament and features. For example there is a specific breed of horses which are used as race horses because of their high level of energy and stamina. Similarly some breeds of horses were used for warfare because of their stamina and strength.
Many horses these days are also used for sport. Different sports such as polo, horse racing etc are very famous sports which involve horses. In the past horses have also been used to pull carts and carriages which were used to transport heavy goods and for traveling. Even today in some rural areas horses are being used for the same purpose.
Horses can be trained to do different tasks and they possess significant intelligence to understand commands. They are also very loyal to their masters, which made them ideal for battle and other such tasks. Horses are also used as food however due to their intense utility as a beast of burden; their slaughter had not been much favored. Never the less many products including clothes are made as a by-product of slaughtering horses for consumption as food.
