Innholdsfortegnelse for October 2017 i Faces People, Places, and World Culture for Kids and Children

1. Only one species of horse (Equus ferus caballus) is domesticated, but there are more than 400 different breeds. Domesticated horses fall into one of five main categories: draft, warm bloods, light, gaited, and ponies. 2. What do you call a cross between a horse and a zebra? A zorse, of course! Zebras are close relatives of horses and can be interbred with horses. A zorse can be easier to train than a zebra, but it is sterile, meaning it can’t reproduce. 3. Horse racing is called “the sport of kings” and is one of the oldest sports in the world. Ancient Greeks and Romans crowded into arenas to watch horses pull drivers in chariots. These dangerous races often ended in death and injury for both horses and humans. 4.…

Horse racing is one of the world’s oldest sports. It dates to 4000 B.C. when nomadic horsemen of Central Asia domesticated the horse. The nomads became expert riders and used racing to showcase their talents. Racing continues to be popular in Central Asian countries such as Mongolia, “the land of the horse.” The wheeled chariot was invented around 2000 B.C. and someone came up with the idea of racing horse-drawn chariots. By 700 B.C. chariot racing was a popular sport in Greece. Teams of two or four horses pulled chariots and their drivers in a race for the finish line. The races first took place at the funerals held for Greek heroes but became so popular that arenas called hippodromes were built to host them. The oval track of the…

One of the first places where humans created mythical horses was in the patterns of the stars above them. The constellation Equuleus, which means “little horse,” is found in the northern sky. It is sometimes called Equus Prime or First Horse, because it rises before the constellation Pegasus, another mythical horse. Equuleus and Pegasus both came from ancient Greek myths. Pegasus was a winged horse, usually white, that was captured and tamed by the Greek hero Bellerophon. Bellerophon and Pegasus defeated many enemies together, but when it was time to return to the home of the gods on Mount Olympus, only Pegasus made it there. Another mythological horse is familiar to anyone who knows the Harry Potter stories. Some of Harry’s more mysterious allies are centaurs, which are half man,…

Have you ever wondered why domesticated horses wear horseshoes, but wild horses do not? Domesticated horses experience different activities and surfaces (such as pavement) than they would in the wild. These activities and surfaces are hard on hooves, so horses wear horseshoes for protection. Hoof Anatomy A hoof has many parts. Nerves, bones, and blood vessels are inside the hoof. They are protected by the external structures of the hoof, including the hoof wall, the sole and the frog (but not the kind of frog that croaks). The hoof wall is the hard part of the hoof that we see when horses are standing. The sole and the frog (a triangular pad) are on the bottom of the hoof. One of the frog’s jobs is to absorb shock when a…

Yes, dogs are known for their faithfulness and make us feel good when they run to greet us with slobbery kisses. But there is another animal that is a serious competitor in the bid for “man’s best friend”—the horse. The horse has been friend and helper to humans since Asian nomads domesticated (tamed) the horse 4,000 years ago. Until the invention of the engine in the late 1800s, people depended on horses for transportation, hunting, and farming. In many cultures, horses and their riders are also honored for their heroism in battle. MILD OR WILD? Domesticated horses are tamed and kept as pets. There is only one species of domestic horse, but there are around 400 different breeds. Each horse breed has a distinctive appearance and has been bred (developed…

When the Spanish came to the New World in the 1500s, the horses they brought with them were returning to the land of their ancestors. The last of the prehistoric North American horses died out more than 10,000 years ago, but not before many of these animals crossed the Bering Strait land bridge that once connected Alaska to Siberia. Horses eventually populated Asia, China, northern Africa, Europe, and the Middle East. Native Americans were initially terrified of the horses the Spanish brought to their land. The horse and rider appeared to be some type of mythical or God-like being with two heads and six legs, “a monster that could uncouple itself into two parts.” With their horses and guns—sticks that spit fire—the Spanish easily asserted control over the native people…

Come take a festive horse and carriage ride around the five-square-mile (52,000 square meter) park to see all the Festival of the Horses that Spain has in store for you. Don’t worry about a ticket. Except for special events, admission is free. This historic festival began more than 500 years ago with local farmers and herders bringing commercial livestock to show. Nowadays parades featuring Andalusian horses and live music and dancing attract visitors. Flamenco dancers amaze and delight audiences with bright costumes and their dancing horse partners. During this first week in May, more than 200 marquees or casetas are open to the public. People can eat, drink, and dance in these buildings. On the menu is fresh seafood including fried prawns, baby squid, red mullet, and clams. Perhaps you…

White horses galloping in the marshy delta of the Rhone River look like something straight out of a fairy tale. Along with pink flamingos and black bulls, the horses symbolize the untamed, natural beauty of the Camargue, a wedge-shaped slice of southern France where two arms of the Rhone flow into the Mediterranean. The white horses of the Camargue are believed to be among the oldest free-roaming horses in the world; they live outdoors year-round, munching on marsh grass and other salt-loving native plants. Wild as they appear, the horses have another identity: The Camargue horse is an established workhorse breed and the living legacy of a herding tradition that dates back at least 500 years. Presently, the horses are raised and trained for everything from trail riding to dressage.…

“Is a pony a horse? What is a mule? Can you really cross a horse with a zebra (and why would you want to)?” Horse organization is not so tough when you know the basics. Experts recognize six major categories of horses: draft horses, light horses, gaited horses, warm bloods, ponies, and non-horse equines. Draft horses are bred to carry and pull heavy loads. They are tall (over 16 hands), heavy (more than 1,600 pounds), and strong. The average draft horse can pull more than twice its weight for short distances. For hundreds of years before the invention of machines, these big boys were the tractors, heavy haulers, and armored tanks of their day. The term “cold bloods” is used to describe the calm temperaments and levelheaded attitudes of draft…

In a sandy arena surrounded by nature, Carlos Mendez helps a young man mount a horse. The rider is a former soldier coping with post-traumatic stress disorder and anxiety. When he first came to Equinoiterapia [eck-ee-no-tair-uh-pee-uh], Puerto Rico, the soldier was hesitant to even touch the horse. Today, he sits tall in the saddle. As the horse walks along, the man’s shoulders relax and a smile lights up his face. All around the world, adults and children with a wide variety of mental and physical challenges find help and healing from horses. Humans have relied on horses for thousands of years for transportation, hunting, and other tasks, but the practice of therapeutic [ther-uh-pyoo-tik] riding traces its origin to one courageous horsewoman. Lis Hartel of Denmark was an excellent rider before…

Each day, a 1,000-pound horse passes approximately 50 pounds of manure and urine. That’s a lot of muck to shovel! Over the years, people found some pretty creative ways to make sure that waste doesn’t go to waste. Keeping the Grass Green Horse manure is excellent fertilizer. It is packed with soil-enriching nutrients, including nitrogen and potassium. Manure is used to fertilize gardens, trees, fields, pastures, and even abandoned mining sites that are being reclaimed. Transforming Tresses When they wanted to lighten their hair color, women in 16th century Venice reached for hair dye made from ingredients such as saffron, rhubarb, or horse urine. After working the dye into their hair, they went outside and basked in the sunshine to bring out the color. Seeing Stars None of the telescopes…