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Originally Posted by GenuineRisk
Okay, I finally can't stand it anymore (pause while I put on my well-worn nerd glasses):
Horses weren't created/didn't evolve to run (evolve, in my opinion, for what it's worth). They were created/evolved to spend the majority of their time walking slowly over very long distances (the hoof is a marvelous adaptation for that-- it's essentially a big fingernail, so they are literally walking on tip-toe). They are capable of running very fast, yes, but for relatively short distances and in order to evade a predator (so are most hooved prey animals). They are designed to spend most of their lives walking slowly with their heads down, cropping a lot of a low-calorie food (browse). Yes, they can run for stretches in the wild and they do, but that's not an optimum state for the horse-- it's usually a response to a dangerous situation and ends when the danger does.
Yes, I know we've bred the TB to have the desire to run (and boy, do they!) but it's erroneous to start with the impression that the wild horse is designed to spend most of it's life in flight, regardless of the surface. It's not. I think if they were, A) their digestive system would not be as simple as it is and B)our domesticated horses wouldn't need so much cooling out time after a long exertion.
Okay, taking off the nerd glasses now and bracing for the hate mail.  |
Actually, GR, horses did evolve from Eohippus (
Hyracotherium) to the present day
Equus caballus for the specific purpose of speed because of predators (to run).
Besides having to go further in search of feed and water, the horse evolved into the present day species of
Equus caballus because they had to be able to run faster and further to escape enemies. Although the horse is not the fastest animal on the earth, the horse does possess great endurance. The horse is therefore, a creature of the open country and to this day, its first reaction to any strange or frightening object or situation is to panic and run away. This great fear of the unusual, plus the speed and endurance developed at the gallop, has made the horse a most valuable animal to man...
Another point to not is that world horse is derived from the Anglo-Saxon word hors meaning swift.
As a side note, their teeth evolved as an adaptation to vegetation changes. But their size and hooves evolved for reasons specifically related to speed, endurance...and power for those two purposes.
I can post numerous sources that say this if you would like. For the most, part the rest of your post contained some very good information. Sorry to get into the whole evolution thing for those of you who don't believe in it.
I definitely agree with you that a horse was not designed to stay in long periods of flight. But, they did evolve for the survival of the species directly related to the fact that they had to outrun predators.
And don't feel bad. I'm being a super nerd
