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Chicken Soup For The Horse Lover's Soul: Inspirational Stories About Horses and the People Who Love Them

Storey's Guide to Training Horses: Ground Work, Driving, Riding

Hot to trot?

There are countless varieties of horses and seemingly just as many ways to ride them—English, Western, dressage, reining, and more. Before you saddle one of these beautiful, graceful animals, learn:

How to choose the right stable, instructor, lessons, and riding style for you
What to expect from your first lesson and what equipment you’ll need
The basics of horse breeds, anatomy, grooming, healthcare, and nutrition

Horse Basics

The horse is a powerful animal, and riding one can be an immensely gratifying experience. Mastering skills that allow you to manage a horse is a long-term process. But regardless of your skill level, knowing the basics about horses and horsemanship will make the experience a safer one for you, other riders, and the horse.

Origins of the Horse

The modern-day horse, known by the Latin name Equus caballus, is much larger than its predecessors. It evolved into its present-day form in three stages.

Eohippus

About 58 million years ago, the first horselike animal, Eohippus (also known as Hyracotherium), appeared. Doglike in appearance, it stood only 12" high at the withers (highest point of the shoulders) and had four toes on the forefeet and three on its hind feet. Eohippus lived in forested, swampy environments in North America.

Mesohippus

Mesohippus, which first appeared during the Oligocene Epoch (34–24 million years ago), stood 24" high at the withers and had three toes on all four feet, the third toe being the largest and most hooflike. Its evenly shaped teeth were adapted for grazing in its new, grassy environment.

Equus

Equus caballus, the modern-day horse, has only one toe on each foot. For unknown reasons, Equus caballus died out in North America. Before complete extinction, though, some of the Equus population crossed the Bering Strait between Alaska and Siberia and were later domesticated and refined in Europe and Asia. Spaniards returned the Equus caballus to North America on ships in the 16th century.