The Horse is a comprehensive exploration of the biology, behaviour, and diversity of a species that has evolved over 55 million years, and has been of vital importance to us since they were first domesticated 6,000 years ago. The Horse: A Natural History looks not only at the horse in the human context, but also at its own story, and at the way horses live and have lived both alongside people and independently. An initial chapter on Evolution & Development takes the reader from the tiny prehistoric Eohippus to modern-day Equus. Subsequent chapters on Anatomy & Biology and Society & Behavior offer a succinct explanation of equine anatomy, and outline the current thinking on horse behavior, incorporating information taken from the most recent research. Chapter 4, Horses & People, studies the part the horse has played in human history. Finally, a visually stunning gallery of breeds offers wonderful photographs alongside individual breed profiles. This is an essential addition to every horse enthusiasts library.
Introducing the horse 611
Chapter 1
Evolution & Development
Ancestors of the modern horse 1415
Related species & distant cousins 1619
The full breadth of species 2023
Conquering the globe 247
First links with humans 2831
Chapter 2
Anatomy & Biology
The horse as a mammal 32-3
Life cycle of the horse 34-5
The mechanics of breeding 36-9
The skeleton 4043
The teeth & jaw 447
How the hoof developed 489
Eating & digestive system 5051
Hearing & smell 52-5
Coat & color 56-7
Horse sensehow horses think 58-61
Equine illness 62-3
The horse genome 64-5
Chapter 3
Society & Behavior
Eating & sleeping 66-9
Courtship & mating 70-73
Birth & parenting 72-3
Foals & early life 74-7
Social groups & behavior 78-81
Horse-horse communication 82-85
Horse vocalization 86-7
Cognition in horses 88-9
Memory in horses 90-91
Learning in horses 92-3
Wild vs. domesticated horses 94-5
Chapter 4
Horses & People
Early relations: before domestication 96-7
The first herders 98-101
Many uses: early horses 102105
Riding horses: the story of tack 106-109
The history of training 110-15
The war horse 116-19
The sporting horse 120-123
Early breeding science 124-7
Breeding for specifics 128-131
Centers of breeding worldwide 132-35
Horses for profit: the economy of horses 136-39
Ethology & ethics 140-45
What we know about how horses think 14649
Chapter 5
Horse Breeds
Historic breeds 15053
The range of modern breeds 1547
Directory of horses 158-213
The future of breeding 214-17
Useful Resources
Author biographies 218
Bibliography 219-220
Index 22123
Acknowledgments 224
Debbie Busby MSc MBPsS CCAB is a behaviourist and international speaker and author. Debbie has a BSc in Psychology and gained her MSc in Applied Animal Behaviour and Welfare at Newcastle University. She is registered with the Animal Behaviour and Training Council as a Clinical Animal Behaviourist and is currently conducting doctoral research in horse-human relationships at Manchester Metropolitan University, looking into the sustainability of horse riding in the contexts of training methods, welfare and social licence to operate.
Debbie's consultancy Evolution Equine Behaviour is based in the UK and she consults internationally on serious behavioural disorders in horses. Debbie delivers presentations and workshops on all aspects of equine behaviour consulting and human behaviour change, and is a coauthor of Equine Behaviour in Mind: Applying Behavioural Science to the Way We Keep, Work and Care for Horses (2018) published by 5M Publishing.
Catrin Rutland is Associate Professor of Anatomy and Developmental Genetics at the University of Nottingham, specialising in cardiovascular disorders and anatomy of both humans and animals. As a popular science writer and academic specializing in outreach, Rutland has written for The Telegraph, Daily Mail, Independent and Guardian newspapers. Previous books include The Chicken (Ivy Press, 2012) and The Horse (Ivy Press, 2018).
Debbie Busby is an equine behaviorist with degrees in Applied Animal Behavior & Welfare and Psychology. She is certified by the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants and runs the Evolution Equine website.
