Jumping Horse

The horses (Equus) are the only recent genus of the family Equidae. The genus includes the wild horses (the Przewalski's horse and the now extinct tarpan), the various wild ass forms (the African and Asian asses and the kiang, respectively), and at least three zebra species (the steppe, mountain, and Grevy's zebra). It also includes domestic forms domesticated from wild animals. The number of species and their delimitation from each other are still disputed. A total of seven or eight species are often distinguished, the majority of which are endangered.

The animals live today in sub-Saharan Africa and in southern and central and eastern Asia. The inhabited habitats consist of open, often grassy landscapes, which can sometimes be very dry to desert-like. Horses are adapted to these regions by their strong build and long, slender limbs. The legs are also where the distinguishing characteristic of the species is found, as both the front and hind feet each have only one toe, which is covered by a broad hoof.

The reduction in the number of toes, which also earned the horses the higher-ranking designation of "solipeds," enables them to move quickly and with little friction in the steppe and savannah regions. In general, horses are sociable animals. The main food of the animals consists of grasses, occasionally they also eat leaves and twigs. To chew the hard grass food, horses developed molars with extremely high tooth crowns, which is considered another typical characteristic of the species. The less efficient gastrointestinal tract compared to other ungulates causes the horses to spend most of their active time eating.