They gallop and trot, whinny and neigh, capturing our imagination — and our hearts. Indeed, horses are said to have done more to change human history than any other domestic animal, once upon a time carrying explorers to new frontiers and mighty armies to great conquests.
Though their glory days may be in the past, these hoofed creatures continue to enthrall us, as the NATURE program HORSES demonstrates in sparkling detail. From the steppes of Mongolia, where children race at breakneck speeds perched on stallions ten times their size, to the fields of Georgia, where people confined to wheelchairs find new freedom in the saddle, HORSES highlights the many roles played by this multi-talented beast of burden. There are also rare glimpses of the world’s most endangered horse, and an inside look at the art of the horse whisperers, the trainers who through their gentle touch can transform a wild bucking bronco into a stately show horse.
But the star of the show is the animal that scientists call Equus caballus, the modern horse species that includes everything from miniature Shetland ponies to massive draft horses able to pull astounding loads. The horse we know today, however, evolved from an ancestor that was quite different.
More than 50 million years ago, a small fox-sized animal crept through the forests of North America, browsing on fruit and leaves. Its arched-back body was only about a foot high at the shoulder, and a long tail and short-snouted head probably gave it a distinctly dog-like look. In fact, its feet sported pads like a dog’s, except each toe ended in a tiny hoof instead of a claw. Interestingly, in modern horses, one toe has become the hoof, and the others remain as vestigial bumps higher up the leg.
When fossil hunters first discovered the bones of this creature a century ago, they named it Eohippus — “the dawn horse” — and believed it was the first link in an evolutionary chain that led directly to today’s horse. Indeed, many museums and textbooks still have displays and pictures showing this neat, predictable progression, with horses gradually getting larger, shifting from many toes to modern hooves, and gaining longer teeth able to grind down tough prairie grasses.
These days, however, researchers have a far more complex picture of horse evolution — and they have given the dawn horse a much less colorful name. While they agree that today’s horse probably arose from that smaller ancestor, the path was by no means direct. Instead, paleontologists have uncovered fossils that show that horse ancestors varied in size: some large early horses gave way later to smaller ones. They also discovered that some lines of horse-like animals alternated between many and few toes over time. In addition, some proto-horses once thought to be direct forefathers of the modern animals were revealed to be distantly related cousins — just one dead-end branch on a bushy family tree.
One branch, however, kept growing. About a million years ago, it produced an array of small pony-sized animals that galloped across ancient plains around the world in large herds. They probably behaved much as today’s wild horses do, using their flowing tails as remarkably accurate fly swatters and signal flags, and snorting the air for the smell of enemies and the scent of food.
Less than 10,000 years ago, however, many of these horse-like species became extinct, along with other browsing animals such as mammoths. Climate changes and over-hunting by humans may have been to blame, but no one knows for sure. The only survivors were horses in Asia and several zebras. In North America, however, horses were wiped out.
So where did the modern horses come from, the ones that spawned America’s cowboy myth? Historians believe that Spanish explorers brought the animals with them on their voyages to the New World in the 1500s. Let loose upon the land, they soon reclaimed the prairies that had once been theirs alone, producing vast herds of wild horses.
Even today, as HORSES shows, tens of thousands of wild horses roam the American West. To prevent the herds from destroying their habitat, the U.S. government captures hundreds each year and puts them up for adoption. For some of the proud new owners, the chance to ride a wild-born horse is a dream come true — and the continuation of an age-old relationship that has made the horse one of our most revered and fascinating animal partners.
Online content for Horses was originally posted November 1999.
(95 votes)
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WOW! I really think this is interesting and very informative. Thank, I din’t know many of the things mentioned, thanks again!!!
I love wild horses becuse they are pretty horses and i like there manes and tails
i love horses because they are so beutiful and nice
I LOVE HORSES TODGERS
HELLO I LOV HORES I HAVE A STUD HIS NAME IS MR.ED LOL
~~~~~~~~~~~COUNTRY GIRL~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
hey i love horse she is a phillie it’s a girl and she is pregant im about to have a nother horse exept it’s gona be a baby duh!
i have 54 horses and half of them our wild
I LOVE HORSES!
Horses are the best!!!! I love horses!!!! They are the best thing I have ever thought of!!!!!! I can not wait till I get a horse. It will be the best time I ever ever had! Did you know that a filly is a baby female horse and a foal is a male horse.
Bella
i love horses!!!!they are cool thanks i learnt lots about them bye ceya
i love horses they r the best creatures on earth…they r soo cool !!! thnx i learned everything and i got wat i needed…thnx agn !
wow…i didnt think abt horses aloot but wen i read this… it sooo awesome thanks alooot i love horses !!!!!
i hv 55 horses in my farm…half of them r wild but they r sooo coooool btw…wild horses r more bueatiful than the normal horses ! :P
i hate horses they r sooo yuckyy they always play wid mud like PIGS !!!! i hate them they r soo silly wats wrong wid u pple ??!!!! eeeewwww
donkeys r btr than horses
No, they are not I think that Horses are the best animals in the world!!!!
I agree. horses rock!!!!! they are like me and my friend Molly’s life. we wouldn’t know what to do without them! What about you peoples?
Nice Article Post !!!
i love riding my horse lucky. and horses are my favorite animal. my favorite horse is the great stallion.
Very Nice Article Post !!!
horses are nice.
i like the information that is given but i think u need more info about the horses and their climate,food sources and more thank you so much
I like information that is given but i think you need some more like what do they eat,how old can they live sources like that
I have 3 horses 2 are Mayers and 1 that is just a solid Black and the Black horse is wild and i would like to brake it….. Would you please give me Information about it…..
I Love horses with all my herat how about you
horses are awesome!! take from the redneck!!!
OMG u guys all rock i mean who doseint like horses i love them so much and plan to get a buckskin
I think horses are amazing i am doing a class newspaper and this is a great info. for it.Im 9 and i have 2 horses ,a palimino and a morgan COWGIRL!!!!!!
i lovvvvvvvvvve horses!! i love to ride them! they’re sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo cooooooool!!!!!!!!
I love horses more than anybody on here!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I LOVE HORSES!!! My grandparents rescue them http://www.doxyshorserecovery.org I help out and i have 2 of my own!
Horses r so cool i have 2!!!!!!1
I have 3 paint horses!! I am homed schooled just so i can ride them every day all day long. THeir names are triXI BELLA AND WILLIE! I LOVE HORSES!!!
I LOVE HORSES.I have like 4 of my own.Streak,zandy alix,sunset cowgirl.& CD. (QH’s only)
next time give intersting facts and i luv horses n dat was boring to read
I luv horses but i hated that it was so bad itis the worst
He spoke them into existance, with the ability to evolve with there enviroment.
i have 3 horses one is black the other ones are brown. there names are larz, pasha, and dunnit.
i have 5 horses. and one is a baby!!!!!!!
omg !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
im a horse acholic i have 1 her name is magic and i love her to death
she is a full bread racing horse but i dont enter her in any comp b/c she is to old
i tink horseeessse are berry berry prettuful!!!! i wish i had a million billion ponies!
Okay so i read this and it is a great source…im doing a I-search for english and my topic is horses…when i was a little girl i read so many books about horse…i dreamed i owned my own horse and name her…annie…like the movie…all my life so far ive wanted a horse my ma said on my 16 birthday i might be able to get a horse…ive been working at a farm down the road from my house and the horses there are very lovely…they are 2 old ladys 1 is dieing of cancer if you have any more tips for me before my 16 birthday on november 10 send me comments heres my email bberg@hfcsd.org thanks you inspired me more…….Love Brianna ~-*Country Girl 4Life*-~
^_^Horses Rukle
i ment rule not rukle
Above bella was wrong about foal being a male baby horse.. all baby horses are foals.. but a female is a filly, and a male is a colt.. and the are filly and colt till about 4, then it is a mare, and a stallion or gelding. I raise arabians, have for 30 years.. foal is general for a young horse, usually under 6 months old.
I love horses, i have always wanted a horse they’re my favourite animal, i don’t have enough money, i am a 9 year old boy, and i am saving for a horse of my own.
ya they are fun and they are a bunch of money but they are worth it.
horses are amazing they are cool to pet and they are so freaking cute i love them don’t you
i love horses whin i was a litte girl my mom put me on a horse that is whin i like them
i love horses
horses r very cool
hey la’dimond wat up
lol
horses are nice cool
I love horses they arent just beautiul there amazing and wonderful my horses understands me better then anybody and iam loking hat my horse loves me so much cause horses are more then a pet or a sorce they are our freinds and they need respect and that is why my horse loves me and understands me so much:)
horses r cool
horses r very pretty and i love them
Horse are lame
who made horses? and why they are a waste of life
Sux it!
i love horses lt is sad that a lot of them die and then they use the hourse tail for a part of the vialinea
i love horses horses r soo cool
I love horses a lot! im sad when they die. It makes me want to cry!!!
dat was so boring. horses are not foxes. sheesh.lets have something interesting peeps
horses are cool
i love horses too! i’m nuts about them! i have two ponies and i’m in the pony trots victoria! horses rule! YEH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
i love this article its very interesting to me and kets me know alot about horses>thanks<
horses
i love hourses their the best ya!!!!
i love horses so cutee
edit me all you want but YOU are at a loss with such statements.
I absolutly LOVE horses!!!!! they rock my socks off my feet!!!!!!!Go Horses!!!!!!!!!lol
omg this website is amazing i love this article it is just the kind of information that i need for my public speaking class. =^.^=
i have 5 horses and gonna have 6 in april. he was my first ponie iv ever had. he is funny but anyway i have 2 quarter horses and 1 paint and 2 thourogh breds and gonna get my piant back agian i luv horses!
i love horses we have 4 of them in they are like a dream come true
I LOVE HORSES!!!!!!! They are the bests animal in the WORLD!!!!Thanks for the info!!!!!!! {I am country!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!}
I LOVE <3 horses because their body structure is amazing and how they glide across an open feild is so beautiful and gracefull
I love horses so much!!!! i love to ride horses all day long!!!!!!!
HORSES ARE MR LIFE!!!!!! I 3 HORSES AND 1 IS A BABY MARE!!!!! I TRAIN HIM ALL ADT LONG!!!!!
I Love Horeses!!!!!! I have 6 of my own. HORSES ROCK
~~~~~Horse crazy~~~~~
hey i have 3 horses and i love them
I love horses if I could be a horse I so would!!!!!
I think horses are the best!!! I’m going to get one some day!
horses are awsome. wow wow wow
i just got two horses that i am in love with them! good luck with your horses everyone
i just got two horses that i am in love with them! good luck with your horses everyone
i LOVE horses.can you ppl give me some edvice on how to convince my parents to get me a horse?ty, everyone that loves horses rock!!!!!!:):):)
P.S I AM HORSE CCCCCCCCRRRRRRAAAAZZZZYYYYY!
P.S I AM HORSE CCCCCCCCRRRRRRAAAAZZZZYYYYY! ARNT U PPL!!!!:):):)
i love all of my horses that i have.
hay i hove 6 horses and i love them so mcuh.
omg..okay i dont have any but my relatives and my best friend does and love them!!!!
ilovehorese and my bf has !2 and two of them are mine and named after me!! ilovehimandhorses!!!!!
i love horses so much they naa my heart out!!!!
heres my e-mail:melissamackay47@yahoo.ca
can you send me somme good horse pics please!!!!!!!!!!!!
I love horses so much, and I’m saving up money to buy one when I get older and when I have a farm!
i strted riding horse,s when i was 9 yrs. old. they are very beautiful animal. one of Gods gifts of beauty he has provided for us. but i always wondered why some are sway back. could you e-mail me some information on this. thank you so very much. thank you, patricia
i LLLLLLLLLLLOOOOOOOOOOOOOVVVVVVVVVVVEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
your horses
i love horses so i really love this
i can not beleive it they are so cute
ilove horsesssssss becase they are so ppppretty and cute i jist llllllllllove horsys i llllllllllllllloooooooooooovvvvvvvvvvvvvvveeeeeeeeeeeeyour horses they are so cute
ilove horsesssssss becase they are so ppppretty and cute i jist llllllllllove horsys i llllllllllllllloooooooooooovvvvvvvvvvvvvvveeeeeeeeeeee your horses they are so cute they are so cute and funny hahaha“
My friend and I are doing a report on horses and we picked a picure of 2 of the horses running because we thought it was sooooooooooooooo cute.When we get it printed out we`ll put it on cardboard paper and show my class.
WOW whoever says horses are a waste! your wrong.. horses are amazing animals.. I LOVE THEM! great artical.
i love horses so much i go horse ridding evey week horses horses horses horses horses horses horses
Horses are so cool!!!!! i am not into them a lot, but they are beautiful animals!!! lol:)
I love horses they are the best thing in the world!!!!!!!
They rock and i know so much about HORSES I go riding all the time!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I love horses!!!!! They re great!!! My favorites are white and black ones.
thise website rules
I believe horses become apart of you when riding. Riding in open fields is aewsome-I hope that everyone can experience it.
Ilove horses.Your article is cool!!!!
I dont have any horses, but i wish I did after reading this article!!!!
I rock so much and so do Horses!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I love horses! Their so war and cute! I’ve ride them in the zoo and they make a nice sound with their feet as they trot! Its mane is so soft and silky! You know you should try to learn how to comunicate with horse!
I loved your article it was so good and i really want a horsey.
i love the pics
um… hi you know i have been with horses all my life and they stink:) but the truth is dat i love horses!! really lots and i had 24 horses and now we sold out because my grandparents cant handle them its to hard… but yeah things are cool so are horses:):):)
I LOve Horses There Very Cool And Fun To Ride..
i really love horse because they are so graceful and majestic
Horses are the most beautiful animals I have ever seen. I have always loved them and I always will.
i have 3 horses on my farm and i love to raid when i read this passage it put more on my mine. tahnks jaysom
Gosh i love reading about cloud everyday and seeing him on PBS kids every year!!! It makes me want ot have a horse to ride again!
Hello. I’m a horse. How are you?
i love horses so much i used to have some but we had to sell all sevn of them but i still want more horses than anything in the whole wide world
hi jessica. i am a brown horse. nice to meet you. i am very shiny as well.
hi horse!
This post, I really like it. I work with captive wolves, although they are still wild. I also research wild horses, and all of your comments really suck about them. “I like horses because they are the prettiest on the planet” come on. Well, I like them because they are intelligent, gentle creatures, and ready to learn when you treat them right. And, Nature, I really like your program! Please put a little more shows on about wolves and horses, and maybe lepords, because the El Lobo film, after I watched it I was sick for a week and heartbroken, but it changed the way that I thought of the wolves when I walked in Jack’s cage. (The captive wild wolves I work with.) Please, this is a really great program and I wouldn’t mind learning more about animals all over the world, and I exspecially liked the Red Knot and Horseshoe Crab film that was show last night. I hope the scientists succed in what they are doing. Thank you for making this program, Nature!
I love horses. My favorite horse is what I call a “Indian Horse” or a paint. They are so different in their own way. I adore them.
i adore horses they are so darn cute
i think horses r the best. i dont hve 1 but my friend does. she is a brown & white fillie. she is ssssssssssssooooooooooooooooooooo perdy
okay for some of those who got this wrong a filly is a girl horse under 4 years old. A colt is a uncut boy horse under 4 years old. a gelding is a cut boy horse any age! a stud is an uncut boy horse over 4 years old. and a mare is a girl horse over 4 years old!
~~~country~girl~~~
and a foal is an undetermined girl or boy!
I lllllllllloooooooooooovvvvvvveeeeeeee horses so much. They are ssssssssssooooooooo beautiful and fun to ride. My family owns 5 horses and we can only ride one becuase one is an Arabian, the other is a palomino, Domino is an appaloosa, Stormy is half quarter horse and half Appaloosa, Dutchess is a quarter horse.
When said we can only ride one that was an Arabian it was because everytime someone takes her for a ride she always comes home riderless.
I love horses!! They are the coolest animals alive!!:) :) :) :)
YA horses are the best i do barrel and ride in mountains i used to have 11 but we sold some now i have 5 my mare just had a baby a year ago she is a gaogeouse baby paint
we love horses because we have two in mexico
I Love Horses!!!!!!!!!!!!! I have two buttercup and Daisy.
wow reading these comments make me laugh
I have 5 Rachel Alexandra(yes the race horse) and Ozzy a western pony (boy)
Cherokee (wild western mare) Smutt (western gelding) and Slash(Cherokee’s
1 week old filly
SPLASH NOT SLASH
i love horses but i don’t own eney but my b.f.f own’s two
simply… the best!
I DON’T HAVE A HORSE BUT WE USED TO . I LOVE HORSES AND THE KENTUCKY DURBY . I ALSO TAKE RIDING LESSONS.
I luv horses!
horses rock:)!****
I detest horses beause it’s stink
I love horses and I have 5
hi,I love horses so much that I can scream so exitedly.
I have 3 horses.1 is a mare,1 is a colt,and 1 is a
girl foal.I never knew that some horses can have blue
eyes,also.Thank you so,so much.
i LOVE horses and there SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSOOOOOOOOOOOOO CUTE.can you belive how small they were
I’m so so so so so so in love with horses. I have 15 horses!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I love horses to got two good horses
I llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllove HORSES!!!! me and my twin sister always love HORSES but sadly we dont have one. But we still love them.
i saw a horse i fell in love whith but we don’t live on a farm
i love horses i have 4 ginger is a mare she is part
quarter horse/peruvian paso fino and 17 hands tall she is huge and flicka a mare a peruvian paso fino 15 hands tall and banjo a gelding 14.5 hands tall a cob and bandit a shetland pony 3 hands tall
Kaitlyn and Emily….. RULE!
You to Bobert
peace to the world. Chocolate is AWESOME!
I Love you Bobert!!
hi
Hi carlee!
you guys are weard
hello EARTHLINGS WE COME IN PEACE!!!!
talk to me
omg
you spelt weird wrong!!!!!
emily kaitlyn talk to me
;)
BYE ROBOT WE HAVE TO GET 2 WORK NOW BYE !! PEACE!!
talk to me !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
i dont know what to do ?
I Stink
Yes you do know what to i told you twice .you have to make a book.you do stink
i just love horse i have my own horse his name is choco and chocolate
I love horses so much!I have been taking riding
lessons for 2 and a half years.
i love horses i want to live with them
i love horses i wish i could have a hurd of them
I love horses i wish i had 1
I think that the arabs from egypt are sooooo beautiful because i have seen one up close before.
Bella, A filly IS a girl but a foal is a term used to describe both sexes. Colt is the term used to describe a baby male.
#14, you sepciesist. Horses are beautiful animals, intelligent, and kind. So what if they roll in the dirt. Humans bathe in their own filth…and we call it a bath…
WOW! horses are the best!! my mom and i each have a horse. my horse, cutter, is a western horse registered under the AMERICAN PAINT HORSE ASSOCIATION; my mom’s horse, cy, is a tenessee walker. these two animals are very interesting and cutter is the best friend i could have! i tell him everything! hopefully, he won’t get the ability to talk!!!!!!!!HAHAHA! your post is amazing and i don’t care what anyone says!
*katie:)
*15 yrs old
For # 9, no a filly is a female baby horse and a colt is a male baby horse. and a foal is a baby horse and u don’t no the gender . And i love horses! i have 2.
i love horses they are my fav animal and i really want one but we don’t have the money. so we can’t get one and i am sad about that beacuse i really want a horse or horses!!!!!
horses!horses! horses! horses!
I love horses they sweet,butiful,,and graceful.horses are my favs and if my parents ever get me one thatwould be a glorious day
i love horses because they are so peiceful and a persons best friend
i love horse
I live on a ranch with 12 horses! Mine is name Nevs
I meant her name is Nevada! :)
I love horses I have 12 in Ireland.
I have 2 foals, 1 welsh mountian pony , 5 thoroughbreds, 2 quater horses and 2 stallions.
I LOVE HORSES
i love horses in nature web site it rules
ponies rule i have 13 horses 3 foals 3 staillon 3 shetlands 2 welsh moutain 2 welsh cross shetland i live in scotland its cool soooo coool i love horse so much . I love all horses there all so sweet and cute love horse they rule .
horses r great i want to get 1 and show it in barrels and poles!!!!!!!!!!!! also im horse cccccccccccrrrrrrrrrrrrraaaaazzzzy!!! Horses horses horses
horses ar awesome/anyone who disagrees doesnt now anything
I love horses they are neat and fun to ride and they are soft and cut, I think horses are awesome!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I would like to be around horses more that people!!!!
People are no good!!!!!!!!Just look at what they did to this country!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
hi, i love horses. who doesn’t. I saw one and i fell in love. I had to start riding. so now i show them like who doesn’t?
I LOVE Horses !!!!!!! they are so cool
I LOVE HORSES !!!!!!!!!!! THEY ARE SOOOOOOO COOLLLLLLLL!!!!!!!!!!!! I’M GOING TO BYE A HORSE NEXT YEAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I ♥ HORSES SOO MUCH!!!!!!! MY PARENTS R BUYING ME 3 NEXT YEAR!!!!!! 1 FOR ME, 1 FOR MY FRIEND, AND 1 FOR MY OTHER FRIEND!
I love horses the are the best animals in the hole world i would like to work with them but I carnt find a good place i am a boy i am 10 my room is horse’s picture’s every where I have fallen off a horse’s one time good bye.
horses r my lfe i raise dem
i love horses so so so so so so so much!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! i just wish i had 1
i love to ride horses when i go out to my aunt’s farm when i visit Michigan.When i go to Michigan my aunt’s farm is the first place that i want to go to.Michigan rocks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I LOVE YHIS ARTICAL I LOVE HORSES
i love horses but i dont accually have one but i wish i do
i love horses have 7 of them my own THERE THE BEST EVER !!!:)
i dont know a thing bout horses but now i do thanks for helping me with my school project
i love horses and i kno so much and now even more thx to this page caint wait ta get up on the back of a horse agian i have to start loping agian soon
i love horses i always have its sumthin about them that free my mind they make me feel like there is hope for tomorrow when eva i dont feel hope for my self thank god for them
i have an aunt who has many horses and i love them. i learned to ride them when i was just 3 years old, isn’t that amazing? i can walk, trot, canter, and jump. also do flying lead changes.
Horses Rule! My parents say im too young, but soon ill have as many horses as i desire! P.S.:Even my email has the word horses in it!
Dear Bella Hauck
A male foal is actually called a colt. A foal can either be a filly or a colt.
I love horses because they are the most butiful animals on Earth!!!!!! Thats what I think its just my opion!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
i luv horses.i have won name aggie she is a creamy chesnut luvin horse.all of my sisters and 2 brothers has won too.{ALABAMA BABAE}XOXO HORSES!!!!!
I think that horses are the best animals because they are soooooooooooo butiful and soft and can canter smoothly!!
I love horses because they are the best in the world and i hope to get one when i grow up!
I like horses because they are beautiful!
This is very informational I’m not a big fan of horses though. I love them because they are animals and I love nature but they just aren’t my fav animal or anything. I like Pugs.
I LOVe HORSES! AND MY HORSE “MISS SCARLET”!
i love alot of hoeses
I like horses because they are beautiful!
i love,love,luv,luv,luv, LUV horses! i wished i owned sooooo badly!,im positive you feel the same way if u don’t own one,anywho i’ve herd theres a poll made in 2004 voting that horse are the 4th most fav. animal in the world! besides cat’s and lizards! and siberian huskies!! i wood do anything to get one!,my twin sister says she wants a monitor lizard!
I realy love horses ther the best animals I first like horses are cool!