Large Animal Clinical Procedures: Ch. 6 Equine Breeds

Litter size

1 (twins are rare and undesirable)

How many foals can a horse give birth to?

1 foal at a time

Age of female at puberty

10-24 months

Age of male at puberty

10-24 months

What is the gestation length in horses?

11 Months

Icelandic horse

13-14hh; all colors & patterns are acceptable; unique gait - tolt, flying pace; racing, pleasure, meat

Estrous cycle frequency

15-26 days

What is the age of puberty in horses?

18 months

Duration of estrus

2-12 days (average 5-7)

How many hours a day to horses sleep?

2.9 hours per day

How long is a horse's life expectancy?

25-30 years

Gestation period for light breeds

305-365 days

Weaning

4-7 months

Sorrel

A brown horse with a dull red hue

Chestnut

A brown horse with a red hue

Bay

A brown, chestnut, or sorrel horse with black lower legs, mane, and tail

Dun

A horse with a yellow tan as the main body color and the same black lower legs, mane and tail as a bay; they have a dorsal strip which is a dark line down the middle of the horse's back

Foaling

Act of giving birth

Bashkir Curly

All sizes, colors, shapes; calm & friendly; grooming requirements including trimming tail to prevent matting - otherwise leave mane alone; hypoallergenic; 14-16hh; can excel at all different disciplines

Belgian

Also known as the Brabant; Heavy Draft horse; 16.2hh to 17hh; short backed and compact; strong, short, sturdily built legs, with ample feathering; head is small in proportion, square and plain, but the expression is intelligent; breed is notable for its kind temperament

Welsh Pony

Belong firmly to the Principality of Wales; for centuries they have been bred on the hills and uplands; classified into four sections - A, B, C, and D - with A being the smallest and D being the tallest; ponies across all four sections can vary in height from 12hh to 15hh; stud book is located with the Cob stud book; flowing outline that is symmetrical and balanced in its proportions; full of quality and pony character; forelimbs are long and well-muscled; head shows Arabian influence

What are the colors of the equine spectrum?

Black, bay, brown, chestnut, dun, grullo, sorrel, palomino, buckskin, gray, or roan

Lippizaner

Born black, turn white with age; Spanish riding school; Vienna, Austria; 6 stallions founded the whole breed; dates back to the 16th century; almost extinct during WWII; "airs above the ground"; 14.2-15.2hh

Shire

Bred in the English counties of Leicestershire, Staffordshire, and Derbyshire, and the Fen country in Lincolnshire; stands over 17hh tall; one of the biggest horses in the world and weighs more than a ton; its neck is relatively long for a draft horse - it runs into deep oblique shoulders, wide enough to carry a collar; the legs are clean, hard and muscular; hocks should be broad and flat and set at the correct angle for optimum leverage; hooves should be open; should be wide across the coronet and have plenty of length in the pasterns; lower legs carry heavy but straight and silky feathering; black with white feathering is most popular, but gray, bay, and brown are also acceptable

American Paint

Breed has a particular combination of white and any color of the equine spectrum; markings can be any shape or size and located virtually anywhere on the body; although breed comes in a variety of colors w/ different markings, there are only 3 specific coat patterns - overo, tobiano, tovero; part of the 2nd largest breed association in the US

Andalusian

Breeding centered in southern Spain; average height is 15.2hh; commanding presence with loft and spectacular paces; facial profile is convex and eyes are almond shaped; has natural balance and a rather sloped croup

Palomino

Cannot be granted true breed status because of the variations in size and appearance; it is classified more as a color than a breed, but they can be registered

Appaloosa

Comes from the Palouse region covering parts of Washington and Idaho; known for distinctive color, intelligence, and even temperament; 4 identifiable characteristics are coat pattern, mottled skin, white sclera, and striped hooves; in order to receive regular registration, a horse must have recognizable coat patterns or mottled skin and one other characteristic; 7 basic coat patterns are blanket, blanket with spots, roan, roan blanket with spots, spots, and solid

Pinto

Comes from the Spanish word for painted; registry's primary criteria are concerned with color and not bloodlines (like the Paints); cannot be granted true breed status because of the variations in size and appearance

Leg markings

Coronet, pastern, sock, stocking

Mule

Cross between a male donkey and a female horse; hinny is a cross between a female donkey and a male horse; almost all are infertile and unable to reproduce; female that has an estrous cycle is called a molly, which can occur naturally or through hormone manipulation; mollies have short thick heads with long ears and come in a variety of colors

Warm blooded horses

Crosses which utilize the positive traits of both

Tovero Paint

Dark pigmentation around ears, which may expand to cover the forehead and/or eyes; one or both eyes blue; dark pigmentation around the mouth which may extend up the sides of the face and form spots; chest spots in varying sizes, may also extend up the neck; flank spots ranging in size, often accompanied by smaller spots that extend forward across the barrel and up over the loin; spots vary in size at the base of the tail

Hackney and Hackney Pony

Derives from the famous trotting "Roadsters" of Norfolk, and to a lesser extent, the Yorkshire Roadsters, which share a common ancestry with the Norfolk breed; typically stands between 14hh and 15.3hh; hocks are set closely to the ground, shoulders are exceptionally strong, and withers are low

Donkeys

Domesticated member of the Equidae family; male is called a jack; female is called a jenny

American Standardbred

Established in the eastern states of the US; body is long and low but still powerful and deep through the girth; overall build is powerful; croup usually is higher than the wither to give enormous propulsive thrust to the quarters; strong forearms; head is plain but not unattractive, it is heavier and less refined than that of the Thoroughbred

Optimal time of breeding

Every 24-48 hours while the mare is in heat

Arabian

Evidence that it existed on the _______ Peninsula around 2500 BC and maintained there in its pure form; body is compact, the back is short and slightly concave, and the croup is long and level; legs are long, slender, hard, and clean, and the tendons are clearly defined; head tapers to a very small muzzle with large flared nostrils; mane and tail hair are fine and silky; during movement the tail is carried arched and high; a dished forehead is common

Tennessee Walking

Evolved in this state in the mid-19th century; deep bodied and short-coupled, with a head that tends to be rather plain; carries its head much lower than a Saddlebred, and moves with far less elevated action; stands between 15-16hh; predominant colors are black and all shades of chestnut, sometimes w/ prominent white markings

Mare

Female horse

Chincoteague Pony

Feral breed; variable in size, color and characteristics; lives on Assateague Island; swim to _______ yearly

Thoroughbred

First evolved in England during the 17th and 18th centuries; typically long in its proportions; quarters and loins are strong; hindlegs are long; forearms are fine, long, and muscular; head is refined and alert with no hint of fleshiness in the jowl; blends into a long, gracefully arched neck that in turn joins symmetrically with the shoulders; shoulders are long and very well sloped w/ prominent withers

Mustang

Free roaming horses; North American west; Rounded up yearly by the BLM for adoption; not a good horse for a first time owner; 2 separate hands - light horses run one range, heavy horses run one range; once trained, generally make wonderful horses

Miniature Horse

Have several breed influences, but the Falabella is one of the main influences founded in South America; cannot exceed 34 inches in height measured from the last hairs of the mane; should be small, sound, and well balanced and should have correct conformation; refinement and femininity should be seen in the mare; boldness and masculinity should be seen in the stallion; general impression should be one of symmetry, strength, agility, and alertness

What is the diet of a horse?

Herbivores

Time of ovulation

Last 48 hours of estrus

Gelding

Male, castrated horse

Stallion

Male, uncastrated horse

New Forest Pony

Native to the British Isles; 12-14.2hh; animals are grazed on common lands; congenital myotonia - muscles have too much or not enough tone; true working ponies

American Shetland Pony

Originally centered in Indiana, following the large importations of ponies from these Scottish Islands that began in 1885; typically 11.2hh; withers are unusually prominent for a pony and contribute to the slope of the shoulder; girth is a good depth and the legs are longer than in other ponies

Paso Fino

Originally from Puerto Rico; gaited breed related to the Peruvian Paso; average height is 14hh to 15hh; has a muscular chest; nek is short and upright but well muscled

Pony of America

Originated from the efforts of one man, Leslie Boomhower of Mason City, Iowa; breed standard calls for a pony that had the appearance of a miniature Quarter Horse/Arabian cross, with Appaloosa coloring and some of that breed's features; usually between 11.2hh and 13.2hh tall; breed registration emphasizes substance, refinement and a stylish straight, balanced action marked by notable engagement of the hocks under the body

Connemara Pony

Originated in Ireland; wonderful children's show ponies; versatile and athletic; any solid color is acceptable; great temperament

Percheron

Originated in Normandy; on average stands 16.2hh; body is broad and deep chested; head is pleasing with a broad square forehead, straight profile, and large mobile ears; neck is long and arched in the top line; withers are more prominent than in most heavy breeds and allow for considerable slope in shoulders, which is reflected in their free-moving action; legs are short and powerful; hooves are hard, blue horn, with little feathering on the lower limbs; usual colors are dappled gray or black, but occasional bay, chestnut, roan are also accepted

Clydesdale

Originated in Scotland; typically stands around 16.2hh, some are larger and can weigh up to a ton; legs appear long and have abundant silky feathering; joints should be big, hocks broad and clean, knees flat, and neck long; cow hocks are a breed characteristic and not viewed as a fault; colors are usually bay or brown, but grays, roans, and blacks are also found; legs and facial markings are common

Friesian

Originated in the Netherlands; armored horses; harness & dressage; must be black; hypersensitivity to insect stings; prone to GI issues; 14.2-17hh; expensive

American Saddlebred

Originated in the South and initially called the Kentucky Saddler; principal breeding area is still the Kentucky's Bluegrass Country around Lexington; typically stands around 16hh; quarters are smoothly muscled with a near-level croup and a high-set tail; hindlegs despite length in the shanks, are well formed, w/ long musculature, clean hocks, and flat, hard fetlock joints; neck is long and elegant; juncture with the withers ensures a distinctively high carriage in movement; head is neat and fine w/ no fleshiness through the jowl

Quarter Horse

Originated in the US during the colonial era and was developed for racing the quarter mile; refined head w/ a straight profile that is distinctively shorter and wider than that of the Thoroughbred; usually stand between 14hh and 16hh; compact and well muscled; underline is longer than the back; the quarters are muscular; one of the most popular breeds in the US and has the largest breed registry in the world

Missouri Fox Trotter

Originated with the settlers of Kentucky, Tennessee, and Virginia who made their home in the Ozark Hills; body is well muscled fairly deep, and noticeably wide; usually sufficiently compact, but it may have some length in the back; chest is wide and deep; shoulders are strong, with rounded withers; on average between 14hh and 16hh tall; predominant coloration is chestnut in all shades, usually w/ white markings

Morgan

Regarded as the first American breed, with its birthplace believed to be Springfield, Mass; currently stands between 14.1hh and 15.2hh; recognized by its proud carriage, upright graceful neck, and distinctive head with expressive eyes; intelligence, willingness, zest for life, and good sense are blended with soundness of limb, athleticism, and stamina

Fell Pony

Riding and driving; sure footed; colors - black, brown, bay, grey; all around family pony; good pack ponies

Roan

Salt and pepper; one strand is white and the next strand is color; they are often red or blue and sometimes referred to as strawberry, red, or blue for the appropriate color; head of the horse is solid in color and does not have the ____ pattern

Type of estrous cycle

Seasonally polyestrous (long day breeder)

Coat color

Should be identified as a form of ID for every animal; each horse breed registry defines its own acceptable and unacceptable coat colors and patterns, and these definitions may not be in agreement with other breeds; common colors are black, brown, chestnut, sorrel, bay, dun, buckskin, palomino, gray, roan

Gypsy Vanner

Small draft breed; heavy feathering; developed by Romany; can be any color, black and white most common

Snip

Small marking between the nostrils anywhere on the dorsal aspect of the face, on the bottom third of the head

Star

Small markings between the eyes located anywhere from the poll to the bottom third of the forehead

Hot blooded horses

Speed & endurance

Face markings

Star, stripe, snip, blaze, bald face

Cold blooded horses

Strength & endurance

Tobiano Paint

The dark color usually covers one or both flanks; generally, all four legs are white, at least below the hocks and knees; spots are regular and distinct as ovals or round patterns that extend down over the neck and chest, giving the appearance of a shiled; head markings are solid or with a blaze, strip, star, or snip; may be either predominantly white or black; tail is often 2 colors

Palomino color

The same allover color as the dun and buckskin (yellow tan) with a white or blond mane and tail

Buckskin

The same color as a dun (yellow tan as main body color) but does not have a dorsal stripe

How long do horses' teeth grow?

Their entire life

Blaze

Thick white line outside the bridges of the nasal bones

Stripe

Thin white line within the bridges of the nasal bones

Overo Paint

Usually white, and the white does not cross the back of the horse between its withers and tail; at least one and often all four legs are dark; white is irregular and scattered or splashy; head markings are distinctive, often bald faced, apron faced or bonnet faced; may be either predominantly black or white; tail is usually one color

Time of first breeding

Varies (2-3 years)

Birthweight

Varies by breed

What are the 3 principle gaits of horses?

Walk, trot, canter

Trakehner

Warmblood; 15.2-17hh; lightest of the warmbloods; floating trot; dressage, jumping, eventing; inspected prior to being approved for breeding

Hanoverian

Warmblood; oldest, most numerous, & most successful of the warmbloods; good temperament; trainable; 15.3-17.2hh; colors are chestnut, bay, black, gray; prone to osteochondrosis

Pastern

White marking below the level of the pastern that does not cross the pastern at any point

Coronet

White marking that forms a thin white line around the coronet band

Stocking

White markings that crosses the knee or hock at any point

Sock

White parking that crosses the pastern at any point and does not cross the knee or hock at any point

Bald

Wide white markings that goes behind at least one eye

Foal

Young horse, either sex

Filly

Young horse, female

Colt

Young horse, male

What age is adult development in horses?

around age 5

Suffolk Punch

bred in East Anglian country; can trace its descent to a single stallion, Thomas Crisp's Horse of Ufford; average height is 16hh to 16.3hh; gaits are distinctive - hindlegs must be close together, and cow hocks are rarely found; quarters are huge, rounded, and powerfully muscled; strongly crested neck, and forearms are very muscular with good bone and minimal feathers; all breeds are "chestnut," but recognized in seven shades, ranging from a pale, almost oatmeal color to a dark, almost brown shade; most usual is a bright, reddish color

Cleveland Bay

one of the oldest native breeds of England originating in the northern regions; classified as a light draught breed, not "warm blood," although it is thought that there is no draught blood in purebreds; known for their solid bay color, large ears, blue/black hooves, clean legs, and their calm, kind personailty; fewer than 1000 purebreds exist worldwide with about 180 in North America; partbreds or sport horses are sometimes misidentified as purebreds