horse

Domestic-horse reference

The model needs a dated taxonomic reference that states the domestic horse's name, rank and relationship to other horse taxa.

1. Which scientific name, rank, naming authority and authority year does the selected reference assign to the domestic horse? definition
2. Which verified GBIF and NCBI records correspond to that treatment, and when were they checked? provenance
3. How does that treatment delimit domestic horses, Przewalski's horses and equid hybrids? boundary

Identity evidence

Descriptions must identify their referent level and the evidence connecting a particular horse to its records.

1. Does this record describe a taxon, a named herd or population, or one identifiable horse? definition
2. Which microchip, passport, markings or parentage records establish the individual's identity and claimed breed? provenance
3. If the animal is called a pony or a feral horse, does that label indicate size, breed convention or management history? boundary

Body assessment

Measurements need methods and dates so that growth, weight change and condition can be interpreted separately.

1. What are the horse's height at the withers and body mass, and how were they measured or estimated? measurement
2. Which equine body-condition scale was used, and what changes in fat cover or muscle have been observed? measurement

Locomotor comfort

Hoof care history and gait observations provide evidence for deciding whether movement or work needs review.

1. What hoof damage, asymmetry, shoeing or trimming history is recorded for each limb? provenance
2. Under what surface, gait and handling conditions does the horse show altered stride or reluctance to move? measurement
3. Do the observations require stopping the proposed activity and obtaining veterinary or farriery assessment? action

Life-stage needs

Age, dependence and reproductive condition constrain appropriate care, grouping and activity.

1. Is the horse's birth date documented or its age estimated, and what evidence supports the estimate? provenance
2. Is the horse dependent on a mare, growing, pregnant, lactating or castrated, and which states have been confirmed? definition
3. What changes to feeding, social grouping or activity follow from the confirmed life stage and reproductive condition? action

Feeding function

The feeding assessment connects forage and water provision with the individual horse's ability and willingness to consume them.

1. What forage, pasture, supplementary feed and water can this horse actually access, including competition from other horses? measurement
2. What changes in chewing, appetite, drinking or manure have been observed, and over what period? measurement
3. Which observations require prompt professional assessment before changing feed or continuing work? action

Behaviour in context

Behaviour records should distinguish repeated observations from assumptions about temperament or breed.

1. Which companions does the horse associate with, avoid or compete with, and can it reach resources without displacement? measurement
2. How does the horse respond to separation, approach, restraint and unfamiliar stimuli across repeated observations? measurement
3. What change in grouping or handling is justified by the observed distress, avoidance or aggression? action

Range and living conditions

Managed and feral horse populations need explicit geographic and environmental context; conservation labels need an exact assessed referent.

1. Where does this horse or population live, and what movement space, footing, shelter and seasonal forage are available? measurement
2. Does a range claim describe ancestral wild distribution, domestication history, introduced distribution or current feral occurrence? boundary
3. If an IUCN or other conservation status is cited, which exact taxon or population and assessment year does it cover? provenance

Welfare observations

Welfare judgements need dated observations of comfort, rest, intake, movement and behaviour, with uncertainty preserved.

1. What is different from this horse's usual eating, resting, movement or social behaviour, and when did the change begin? measurement
2. Which observations support concern about pain, injury, exhaustion or unmet needs, and which remain unexplained? provenance
3. What immediate care adjustment or professional escalation is warranted, and who is responsible for it? action

Task-specific readiness

Suitability for riding, driving, breeding or transport must be established for the particular horse and proposed circumstances.

1. What evidence shows that the horse is trained and currently conditioned for the proposed activity? provenance
2. How do equipment fit, load, duration, terrain, weather and handler competence affect this horse's suitability? boundary
3. Who has authority to approve the activity, and what observations require modifying or stopping it? action

Check these first

Recalled without web access and unsourced; every item is a lead to verify.

• This is recalled knowledge without consulted sources; confirm taxonomic treatment and database identifiers before publication.
• Domestication began in prehistory, but its timing, locations and relationship to modern domestic lineages require research.
• No IUCN category is asserted: distinguish domestic horses, feral populations and wild horse taxa before applying any assessment or native-range statement.

1. Which of these check these first hold for the sense of horse this model covers, and on what evidence? provenance

Kinds and varieties

Recalled without web access and unsourced; every item is a lead to verify.

• Light riding horses
• Draft horses
• Ponies
• Warmblood sport horses
• Gaited horses
• Miniature horses

1. Which of these kinds and varieties hold for the sense of horse this model covers, and on what evidence? provenance

Identifiers and schemes

Recalled without web access and unsourced; every item is a lead to verify.

• Zoological nomenclature - Equus caballus Linnaeus, 1758 - Domestic horses are also treated as Equus ferus caballus; species versus subspecies treatment varies.
• NCBI Taxonomy - 9796 - Taxonomy identifier for Equus caballus, not an identifier for an individual horse.
• Universal Equine Life Number (UELN) - 15-character alphanumeric identifier - Identifies an individual equine through participating registration systems; distinct from its microchip number.

1. Which of these identifiers and schemes hold for the sense of horse this model covers, and on what evidence? provenance

Real-world use

Recalled without web access and unsourced; every item is a lead to verify.

• Riding, sport and recreation
• Transport and pack carrying
• Agricultural and forestry traction
• Livestock handling and mounted patrol work
• Meat and mare's milk production in some societies

1. Which of these real-world use hold for the sense of horse this model covers, and on what evidence? provenance

Typical measurements

Recalled without web access and unsourced; every item is a lead to verify.

• Adult height at the withers - Approximately 140-180 for many full-sized breeds; ponies and miniature horses are smaller - cm
• Adult body mass - Approximately 400-700 for many riding horses; miniature and heavy draft breeds fall outside this range - kg
• Gestation duration - Approximately 320-360 - days
• Lifespan - Commonly 25-30 under domestic care, with substantial variation - years

1. Which of these typical measurements hold for the sense of horse this model covers, and on what evidence? provenance

Failure modes and hazards

Recalled without web access and unsourced; every item is a lead to verify.

• Colic encompasses abdominal pain from multiple causes, including potentially fatal intestinal disorders.
• Laminitis can damage the attachment between the hoof wall and underlying structures, causing severe lameness.
• Musculoskeletal injury can impair locomotion and working capacity.
• Infectious disease, parasites and toxic plants can threaten individual animals and herds.
• Kicking, biting, bolting and falls can injure handlers, riders and bystanders.

1. Which of these failure modes and hazards hold for the sense of horse this model covers, and on what evidence? provenance

Regional variation

Recalled without web access and unsourced; every item is a lead to verify.

• Breeds and landraces differ in size, coat, gait and adaptation to local climates and work.
• Horses occur worldwide in domestic and feral populations; a domestic population's distribution is distinct from ancestral wild range.
• Cultural roles differ, including sport, transport, pastoral work and food production.

1. Which of these regional variation hold for the sense of horse this model covers, and on what evidence? provenance

Neighbouring kinds and how to tell them apart

Recalled without web access and unsourced; every item is a lead to verify.

• Przewalski's horse - A distinct wild horse lineage, rather than a domestic breed or a feral domestic population; taxonomic rank varies by treatment.
• Donkey - A domesticated ass lineage, commonly named Equus asinus, distinct from the domestic horse.
• Mule - A hybrid typically produced by a male donkey and a female horse, rather than a horse breed.
• Pony - A size or breed category within domestic horses, not a separate species; classification also depends on breed conventions.
• Feral horse - A free-living horse descended from domestic stock; feral describes population history and management status.
• Individual horse - One animal with its own age, sex and registration identity; the registry concept describes the domestic horse collectively.

1. Which of these neighbouring kinds and how to tell them apart hold for the sense of horse this model covers, and on what evidence? provenance