Measuring UpThe term Equus is the scientific term used for our modern day equines (horses). There are more than 300 breeds of horses and ponies around the world! Modern day equines are classified into four different groups that are based on their size. The four groups are miniatures, ponies, light weight horses and heavy weight horses (Draft). Miniature horses are the smallest of the entire horse family and cannot exceed 34 inches when full grown. Ponies must stand less than 58 inches high when full grown and weigh less than 800 pounds. Light weight horses have thin legs, small bones, and weigh less than 1,300 pounds. Heavy weight horses have large bones, thick, sturdy legs, and weigh more than 2,000 pounds.

According to Guinness World Records, Thumbelina holds the title of world’s smallest horse. A miniature horse born in Missouri in 2001, Thumbelina is 4 hands and 3 ¾ inches tall (17 ½ human inches). Thumbelina tops the scales at a mere 57 pounds. She only eats two cups of grain and a few handfuls of hay a day.

• Breed: a group of animals who share the identifiable physical and genetic char-acteristics.

• Colt: a young male horse.

• Equine: the scientific name for all hoofed mammals in the horse family. Includes horses, ponies, mules and donkeys.

• Filly: a young female horse.

• Foal: a baby horse.

• Gelding: a male horse that is not used for breeding.

• Hand: unit of measurement for equines. One hand = four inches.

• Herd: a group of horses.

• Hippology: is the study of horses. Also a contest for young horse lovers to test their knowledge of horses.

• Mare: a female horse.

• Mount: to get into the saddle of a horse by putting a foot in a stirrup and lifting the other leg over the saddle.

• Mustang: wild horse of the Western plains. “Mustang” means ownerless.

• Stallion: a male horse used for breeding.

• Tack: the equipment used to ride and care for a horse (brushes, saddles, etc.).

• Yearling: a horse that is between one and two years old.

Horse TalkJust like humans every horse and pony has its very own distinguishing look. You can identify a horse by its size, color and body markings. To

make it easier to describe what a horse or pony looks like, a set of terms were put together to de-scribe the white markings on a horse’s head and legs. There are also special names for the coat color of a horse. See if you can match the facial marking on the horse with the correct term. Write the number that correspnds to the marking name beneath the correct horse picture.

1 Star 2 Snip 3 Strip 4 Star & Strip 5 Bald Face 6 Blaze 7 Star, Strip & Snip 8 Disconnected Star, Strip & Snip

Illustrations courtesy of: American Quarter Horse Association

Marking Match

HorSES oF YESTErdaYHurraY For

HorSES THEnHorses have been useful animals for thou-sands of years. The horse has served hu-man beings as a very important tool in progressing with the times; it was once put, “history was written on the back of a horse.” Historians say that the first tamed horses were used for food, riding, and pull-ing carts. Horses were a fixture of many ancient civilizations over 3,000 years ago. Horses enabled faster communication, travel, proved excellent allies in war and helped to transform agriculture.

As settlers came to America, the horse was depended upon for transportation, to pull heavy wagons, to help clear the land and to plow the fields. Often, they provided the only link between settlements and towns. Even after our railway systems developed, horses were still the most popular means of transportation. Our early street cars and fire engines were also horse powered. Americans, immigrants, farmers, and al-most everyone in this country used horses in many daily activities.

WHY ARE HORSES

SO USEFUL?

HorsepowerThe term “horsepower” was coined by the English engineer James Watt to mean how much work is done by an engine. Horsepower is a measure-ment of force. Watt estimated the force of a horse, working eight hours a day, to be at 33,000 foot-pounds of pressure per minute. James Watt con-cluded after experiments that a one-horsepower engine could pull about 50% more weight in a single day than a horse. This is why technology has moved past the horse and onto trac-tors, computers, and satellites.FaCT: James Watt who termed the word “horsepower” was also the inventor of the energy measurement of a “watt”.

Horses are great for working and run-ning. They have strong teeth, sharp ears, keen eyes, and a good sense of smell. A horse has larger eyes than any other land animal except the os-trich. A horse can look forward with

one eye and backward with the other eye. They have wide nostrils to help them breath easily, and also have long, muscular legs that give them strength to pull loads and run at fast speeds.

HorSES oF YESTErdaYHurraY For

Was It Force or Was It

Work? (Classroom Experiment)

Early history demanded a lot from the horse. In the early 19th century, horses were very important in maintaining our nation’s need for transportation, con-struction and agricultural products. Draft horses were responsible for pulling plows and towing heavy loads. Try this activity to find out if pulling plows or towing carts was an action of work or an action of force.

You will need:Chairs and moveable items like books and pencils.

Procedure:1. Move something surrounding you; your chair, a

pencil, a book, a piece of paper, or even your desk. What caused the objects to move? Was this action

a push or a pull? The action used to move the objects, no matter if it

was a push or a pull is called “force.”

2. Discuss other ways to move your object. Think about how draft horses use all their muscles; remember you can use your legs, your bodies or even other objects. Are there other times that you have used “force” in your life?

3. Lift a book. Is this a pushing or pulling force? (Pulling it up into the air.)

What is work? There is more than one definition of work. Work can mean more than just going to a job. Work is using a force, push or pull, to move an object a certain distance. The actual definition of work is Work=Force x Distance.

4. Push against the wall as hard as you can. Have another person drop a piece of paper on the ground. Who is doing more work?

The wall pusher is doing no work at all. The wall pusher has force but no distance. The wall is not moving anywhere. The person dropping the paper has both the force of pushing the paper to the ground, and the paper is moving a distance.

Mark an X next to each action that you think is performing work.____ A horse climbing a hill____ A horse standing still____ A horse walking in the pasture____ A horse pulling a cart

THE PONYEXPRESS

The Pony Express was a mail deliv-ery system that ran from April 1860 to October 1861. Young men rode their horses at top speeds to deliver mail. At that time, mail took up to three weeks to travel from Missouri to California, so the public needed a better system. In the 18 months that the Pony Express was used, 183 different men delivered mail. Each rider covered 75 miles a day and they switched horses every 10 to 15 miles. Between 400 and 500 horses were used in the Pony Express system. FaCT: The fastest Pony Express ride was 7 days, 17 hours and was carry-ing President Lincoln’s inaugural ad-dress.

HORSESnowHorses are important in agriculture, particu-

larly in the Western United States. Horses are used on cattle ranches for roping and branding cattle, and for carrying cowboys through rough country to help round up herds of cattle. Horses are also used in non-agricultural settings. In large cities like Chicago, horses are used by police to patrol busy areas, which are often over run with traf-fic. Horses also provide therapeutic riding for disabled adults and children. The contact with the horse and the horse’s movement help the disabled gain better flexibility and balance.

In most settings the modern day horse is found riding trails or showing in arenas all across the world! Many people ride horses for pleasure. There are several different types of horse competitions. These competitions could range from rodeos, polo matches, trail classes to even horse racing. Horses are bred and trained specifically for the activi-ties they will be used for. Certain breeds are known for their abilities in cer-tain areas, like the Thor-oughbred and racing.

Today horses used both for work and pleasure are well-cared for by their owners. They are well fed, well rested, and regarded as gentle com-panions and helpers.

Horses in IllinoisHorses are a major segment of Illinois agriculture. Although horse owners do not market milk, meat, or wool, horses are bred, raised, bought, and sold like any other agricultural livestock. Here are some quick facts about the Illinois horse industry:

• Thereare77,000horseownersthatown219,000horsesinIl-linois.70%areinvolvedincompetitionshowingandpleasure/recreation.

• 213,000Illinoisansareinvolvedinthehorseindustry-owners,serviceproviders,employees,volunteers.

• Illinoisranks5thinstatehorseindustriescontributingtotheGrossDomesticProduct($3.8billion);IllinoisisbehindCalifor-nia,NewYork,FloridaandTexas.

• Horsesaccountfora$3.8billionindustryinIllinoisandprovide15,000full-timejobs.

• 350,000Illinoisansridehorsesonaregularbasis.

• HorsesinIllinoisconsume500,000tonsofhayandgrainworthnearly$100millioneachyear.

• Morethan5millionspectatorsattendhorseracingeventsinIl-linoiseachyear,morethandoubleprofessionalbaseball.

So you want to own a horse?You’re not alone! One in three U.S. households wants to own or ride a horse! Only 2.2% of American house-holds currently own horses. Before you get a horse, you will need to con-sider if you have the room, means for feed, time to care for a horse, and the finances to pay for feed and veteri-nary bills before purchasing a horse. You should also realize that compan-ionship with a horse takes months or even years of work.

What do horses eat?Horses are herbivores and prefer a diet of fresh grass and hay (dried grass). They also can be fed barley, oats, flaked corn, linseed, chaff, bran, dry sugar beets, and hay pellets. These items may be in mixed feed or fed separately.

An average size horse’s stomach only holds about 18 quarts of food which is small compared to the size of a horse’s body. Along with feed, horses need to drink 10 to 12 gal-lons of fresh water a day. Horses also must have salt in their diet; this is be-cause horses lose salt when they sweat.

GroomingTo maintain a healthy horse, they need to be groomed dai-ly. A rubber currycomb, body brush, hoof pick, and a mane and tail comb will help to re-move dirt and dandruff from the horse’s coat. A hoof pick will remove dirt, stones, and other objects from the feet.

Want to own or ride a horse

Own a horse

U.S. Households33%

2.2%

Why do horses wear shoes?Horse hooves are like our finger or toe nails. When horses work or travel on hard roads, they need protection on their feet. Horses naturally spend 80% of their lives standing up, so they need to have their hooves trimmed every 4-6 weeks to help them stay healthy.

Professionals that trim horses’ hooves are called farriers. Farriers use tools like nippers, rasps and anvils to trim the horse’s hooves and to shape the horse’s shoes. Horse shoes are made out of materials like aluminum, steel and even plastic. Horses’ shoes range from the very small sizes to fit min-iature horses to the very large sizes to fit the draft horses.

Meet SomeStable PeopleGene AllenIllinois Quarter Horse Association PresidentOwner of Triple A Barr RanchMackinaw, Illinois

describe your horse business and your responsibilities in the horse industry. My wife, Nancy, and I are in many disciplines of the horse business. We have race, halter, western pleasure, and hunt seat horses. We race and show in several states surrounding Illinois. We also serve on the Illi-nois Quarter Horse Association board. I am President and Nancy is the representative of District Five. I am the Director of Marketing and Public Relations for the Illinois Quarter Horse Race Association. I lobby for the association with the legislators in Springfield to better our breed.

Explain the care that you have to give your horses and how it plays a role in their success? Your horse cannot compete to its maximum level without great care. We feed the best grain, hay, and supplements on the market today. We also consult with our veterinarian whenever we feel a problem is occurring with our horses. I am also an Equine Therapist and I keep a close watch on the muscular and bone structure of all our horses. Nancy is very good on nutrition and she keeps us up to date on new feeds.

What advice can you offer someone who would like to have a horse of their own? My best advice is to make sure you can afford the horse you get. The cheapest part of owning a horse is the purchase price. It takes a lot of time to properly care for your horses. You need to feed them, clean their stalls, exercise them, groom them, and just spend time with them. If you do not have a place at home to keep them you need to board at a stable and that can be quite expensive.

David GuinneeLaSalle County Police Criminal InvestigatorMounted Search and RescueOttawa, Illinois

Tell us about your job.Besides my regular duties as a Detective with the Sheriff’s Office, I am the liaison person responsible for the LaSalle County Sheriff’s Office Volunteer Mounted Search & Rescue Team. Our team is comprised of volunteers that live within LaSalle County. They come from all types of backgrounds and professions and include: retired college professors, heavy equipment operators, business owners and carpenters.

What skills are needed for Mounted Search and rescue?All of our members must show the ability to control their horse in many types of circum-stances. We train on our horses and must be confident in both our ability to ride and our horses’ ability to guide us safely under all types of weather conditions. All of our volunteers have at least 10 years of riding experience. Our county is the second largest county in land area in Illinois. Because of the vast area that we cover, we need to be well trained in riding in any type of terrain.

Morgan Rich, Age 10Illinois Appaloosa Horse Club MemberDeer Creek Go Getters 4-H Club Deer Creek, Illinois

How did you become involved in showing horses?I became involved in showing horses from watching my mom and my aunt and growing up with it. I started showing when I was 2 ½ years old and I have been competing ever since.

What are some of your most cherished accomplishments with your horses? My most cherished accomplishment was winning High Point in the Nation in Leadline in 2003 when I was 6 years old and most improved Youth in Illinois Appaloosa Association in 2004.

How do you prepare your horses for a show? I start preparing for my show season in early spring by practicing with my horse and get-ting her in condition. As the show gets closer, I help brush, bathe, band and braid the mane and tail. I also make sure I have all my show supplies ready and my clothes ready.

What advice would you offer other students your age, interested in showing horses?My advice to you would be take any help that is offered; don’t try to do it on your own. One place to start is 4-H. You will definitely get good practice and learn a lot there.

Great Books!Horse Power: The Wonder of Draft Horses by Cris Peterson

The World of Horses by Jackie Budd

H is for Horse: An Equestrian Alphabet by Mike Ulmer

Birthday Pony by Jessie Haas

Wild Horses by George Edward Stanley

Leonardo’s Horse by Jean Fritz

Thoroughbreds all have their birthday on the same day, January 1. This makes record keeping easier.

Horses generally sleep standing up.

Horses can swim.

Horses belong to a group called equine or Equus. Equus comes from the Greek word meaning quickness. Mules, burros, zebras, and donkeys are also in the equine group.

When a horse is born, its legs are almost their full adult length!

The average lifespan for a horse is 20-25 years.

Horses have a good sense of memory.

If you’ve been with the same horse for a long time, they will remember you, but if you haven’t, they

usually won’t remember you.

Horse Facts

This issue of Ag Mag has been provided by the IAA Foundation.

The information in this Ag Mag may be correlated to the following Illinois Learning Standards: 1.A.2a; 1.A.2b; 12.A.2a; 12.B.2a; 12.B.2b; 12.D.1a; 12.D.2a; 12.D.3a; 12.D.3b; 13.B.2c; 13.B.2e

The information in the Ag Mag may be correlated to the following Illinois Assessment Frameworks: 1.3.01; 1.4.01; 12.4.01; 12.4.02; 12.4.08; 12.4.09; 12.4.25; 13.7.02

To learn more about Agriculture, visit us at www.agintheclassroom.org, or contact your county Farm Bureau® office or Agriculture in the Classroom, Illinois Farm Bureau®, 1701 Towanda Avenue, Bloomington, IL 61701.

Marking Match Answers: 6, 5, 2, 1 8, 7, 3, 4