1. Equine Science Mrs. Fahey

2.  The Chinese likely first domesticated horses around 5100 years ago (3100 BC).  Horses would have initially (even before domestication) been used for food.

3.  Hippology is the study of horses  The use of horses in war (mounted cavalry) probably led to the serious study of equitation  Ability of the rider to ride correctly, etc

4.  Horses were introduced to the Americas by Europeans (Spanish)  Horses were not here when Columbus “found” America in 1492  Horses from Spanish Missions (churches) are thought to be the foundation stock (relatives) of the wild plains horses and horses used by American Indians.

5.  European colonists’ brought horses that were used to pull heavy loads (wagons, plows, etc)  These types of horses are known as draft horses

6.  Large plantations of the southeast US created the need for saddle horses  As a result horse racing became a popular sport

7.  1890’s until the large scale mechanization of agriculture  The rise of mechanization and commerce led to a rise in the number of horses a record high of nearly 21.5 million horses in 1915 (USA only)  Compared to around 6.9 million today (USA)

8.  Henry Ford starts producing the first affordable automobile in 1908  This ushered in the age of mechanization  Leads to a decrease in the number of horses  Not until 1950’s do the number of automobiles and tractors surpass the number of horses  Horse numbers reached an all time low of 3.1 million in 1960

10.  As the country became more urbanized and the automobile becomes more popular the need for horses as a means of transportation decreases  The number of tractors used on farms passes the number of horses used in 1954

11.  Most horses today are light horse breeds popular for pleasure riding and recreation  Texas, Oklahoma, and California have the highest horse populations  The Quarter horse, Paint, and Thoroughbred are the three largest breeds

12.  Horse populations are rebounding as they become more popular for recreational riding because people have more time and money for leisure activities  The need for horses for recreation and sport will be the dominant factor in the future of the horse industry in CA (and the USA).