ZOTC 80

Cards (168)

  • Prey animals
    Animals that are hunted by predators, their main defense is to run
  • Prey animals are very active compared to predator types when they are born
  • Prey animals can instantly run, walk and stand at the moment of birth as this is their main defense
  • Prey animals only fight back when cornered, they would rather flee than fight
  • Look out
    In a herd, prey animals have a member that watches for approaching danger while the others are drinking
  • Herd animal
    Prey animals depend on their herd for survival, many eyes and ears are better than one
  • Social
    Prey animals enjoy having the company of others and can form friendships
  • Instinctual
    Prey animals react without thinking, they use their internal instincts
  • Pecking order

    Each individual prey animal has its place in the group, these clear boundaries help keep peace
  • Herbivores
    Prey animals thrive on a plant-based diet of grass, hay, herbs and vegetables
  • Habitual
    Prey animals like to follow a set schedule and learn to anticipate events
  • The brain of a horse weighs around 22 ounces (623.69 grams)
  • Horses produce 10 gallons (37.85 liters) of saliva per day
  • The teeth of a horse take up more space in the head than the brain
  • Grazing
    Horses like to move around in search of food and water
  • Wanderers
    In addition to grazing, horses like to continuously move from place to place for their own safety
  • Obligate nose-breathers
    Horses cannot breathe through their mouths
  • Smile
    Horses that "smile" are smelling their environment thoroughly, often during breeding season
  • Sleep
    Horses can sleep standing upright or lying down, they are light sleepers
  • Stay apparatus
    The stifle joint that allows horses to sleep standing up
  • Horse eyes

    • Largest eyes of any land mammal, positioned to enable nearly 360 degree vision, limited binocular vision, only yellow-green and blue cones (dichromatic)
  • Horses do not have a clavicle (collarbone), instead they have a thoracic sling
  • Speed
    Top speed is 27 miles/hour, fastest is 55 miles/hour (quarter horses, but only short distances)
  • Horses do not have a gall bladder
  • Horses can drink up to 25 gallons of water per day, but less than half of that goes into saliva production
  • Laterality
    Horses can be either left or right footed
  • Vomiting
    Horses cannot vomit due to a strong esophageal sphincter, angle of stomach, weak gag reflex, and if they do it means their stomach has ruptured
  • There are more than 300 breeds of horses in the world
  • The closest relatives of horses are rhinoceros and tapir
  • The average lifespan of a tamed horse is around 25 years
  • The oldest domesticated horse was named Old Billy, a barge horse, who lived from 1760 to 1822 and died at age 62
  • The tallest horse was Sampson, a Shire horse later named Mammoth, who was 21 hands and 2.5 inches tall
  • The smallest horse was Thumbelina, a dwarf miniature horse who was 17.5 inches tall and held the Guinness Record
  • Oldest horse breeds
    • Icelandic Horse
    • Norwegian Fjord
    • Akhal-Teke
    • Mongolian Horse
    • Arabian Horse
    • Caspian Horse
  • Miniature horses bred for their small size are prone to genetic diseases
  • The pre-horse, also known as Eohippus or Hyracotherium, lived 52 million years ago and was 1-2 feet tall with 4 toes on the forelegs and 3 toes on the back legs
  • Mesohippus lived 40 million years ago and had 3 toes on all legs, standing 3-4 feet tall
  • Equus, the modern horse, evolved 5 million years ago and has 1 functional toe with 2 splints on all legs
  • Living species of Equus
    • Zebra (plains, mountain, Grévy's)
    • Ass (African wild, Asiatic wild, Kiang)
    • Domestic and Wild Horse (Przewalski's Horse)
  • Causes of horse extinction
    • Environment
    • Diseases
    • Competition
    • Failure to Adapt