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[-] Septimaeus@infosec.pub 183 points 5 days ago

Their genetics have sacrificed nearly every aspect of basic resiliency for maximum speed on the plains. Most of the work caring for horses is keeping them from accidentally killing themselves. Full disclosure: I worked as a stable hand as a child in exchange for riding lessons. Will never ever own a horse.

[-] Bytemeister@lemmy.world 59 points 5 days ago

Same for rabbits. The are basically as much lean muscle that can fit on the lighest possible skeleton.

If you pick up a rabbit wrong, they can snap their own back with the momentum from kicking their back legs.

[-] gibmiser@lemmy.world 66 points 5 days ago

What preditor was so fast horses had to evolve to that extent??

[-] PyroVK@lemmy.zip 75 points 5 days ago

Big cat. You're aware of the cheetah? Just picture that but not in Africa

[-] caseyweederman@lemmy.ca 36 points 5 days ago

You know what really caught me up: where are horses native to?

[-] bstix@feddit.dk 62 points 5 days ago

There are wild horses on the Mongolian steppes.

All other horses are domesticated. Even the free horses in USA and Australia are descendants of domesticated horses.

[-] caseyweederman@lemmy.ca 53 points 5 days ago* (last edited 5 days ago)

You're right! But also, horses were native to North America but they went extinct 10,000 years ago and weren't introduced until much more recently.

[-] thurmite@lemm.ee 12 points 5 days ago

Don’t tell that to a Mormon

[-] PyroVK@lemmy.zip 20 points 5 days ago

PBS Eons has a couple good videos on both horse evolution and domestication.

[-] captainlezbian@lemmy.world 9 points 5 days ago

It’s just a damn good series in general as well

[-] webghost0101@sopuli.xyz 9 points 5 days ago* (last edited 5 days ago)

Equus simplicidens lived around 4 million years ago in North America, relying on speed, stamina, and herd behavior for protection from predators like early wolves and big cats. Their survival, much like modern equids, depended on strong social structures and collective awareness. Over time, this lineage spread to other continents via land bridges before becoming extinct in North America. evolved into the distinct species of horses, zebras, and donkeys and where reintroduced into the American continent by humans

-chatgpt + edits

[-] el_abuelo@programming.dev 31 points 5 days ago

ChatGPT? Then everyone should assume this is horse shit until verified.

[-] TherapyGary 18 points 5 days ago

Equus simplicidens, also known as the Hagerman horse, lived around 4 million years ago in North America and is considered an ancestor of modern horses, zebras, and donkeys[3][5]. These animals relied on speed, stamina, and herd behavior for protection against predators such as early wolves and big cats[3]. Their survival was supported by strong social structures and collective awareness[3]. Over time, Equus species migrated to other continents via land bridges[4]. They eventually went extinct in North America around 10,000 years ago during the Pleistocene extinction event[1][2][4]. Horses were later reintroduced to the continent by humans in the late 15th century[4].

Citations: [1] POST-PLEISTOCENE HORSES (EQUUS) FROM MÉXICO https://meridian.allenpress.com/tjs/article/74/1/Article%205/487323/POST-PLEISTOCENE-HORSES-EQUUS-FROM-MEXICO [2] Horses in North America: A Comeback Story | Blog | Nature - PBS https://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/blog/american-horses-horses-in-north-america-a-comeback-story/ [3] The Hagerman Horse (Equus simplicidens) - National Park Service https://www.nps.gov/articles/000/equus_simplicidens.htm [4] Wild Horses as Native North American Wildlife https://awionline.org/content/wild-horses-native-north-american-wildlife [5] Park Archives: Hagerman Fossil Beds National Monument https://npshistory.com/publications/hafo/index.htm [6] American Zebra (Equus simplicidens) - iNaturalist https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/317782-Equus-simplicidens [7] Hagerman Horse - Start Packing Idaho https://www.startpackingidaho.com/blog/hagerman-horse/

[-] webghost0101@sopuli.xyz 7 points 5 days ago

My teachers used to say the same about Wikipedia.

I did edit heavily, this is 3 outputs combined including a fact check this using Wikipedia

It does not fail on such basic questions, “fact check this:” in a new instance works more reliably then asking a human.

[-] sukhmel@programming.dev 2 points 4 days ago

I think the hate is a bit unwarranted, but be wary that it does sometimes fail anything

[-] PhlubbaDubba@lemm.ee 29 points 5 days ago

Us. They basically tried to beat pursuit predation by outrunning the distance humans will be willing to track over.

It did not work, they went extinct in North America because of how much it did not work.

[-] ChonkyOwlbear@lemmy.world 12 points 5 days ago* (last edited 5 days ago)

Large predatory flightless birds probably didn't help either.

[-] rockerface@lemm.ee 10 points 5 days ago

Ah, sweet home Caelid

[-] Dutczar@sopuli.xyz 7 points 5 days ago* (last edited 5 days ago)

"What are those? I know predatory and flightless birds, but both?"

I have looked it up before posting, I learned something new today.

[-] ChonkyOwlbear@lemmy.world 5 points 4 days ago

They are known as terror birds. Think of a ten foot tall ostrich with a flesh tearing beak like an eagle.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phorusrhacidae

[-] bstix@feddit.dk 11 points 5 days ago

Human. Not for food, but because they always choose to breed on the Porcshe over the Toyota Hilux for racing.

[-] PhlubbaDubba@lemm.ee 11 points 5 days ago* (last edited 5 days ago)

The wording here makes it sound like we hunted horses for the specific purpose of having sex on them, and honestly, I'd probably be running as fast as a car if that kept happening to me too!

[-] match@pawb.social 8 points 5 days ago
[-] PersnickityPenguin@lemm.ee 5 points 5 days ago

Saber toothed tigers and shit

[-] sukhmel@programming.dev 4 points 4 days ago

Saber toothed shit is a serious reason

[-] fossilesque@mander.xyz 44 points 5 days ago

I did this too and will also never own a horse lmao. This is why horse people are weird.

[-] lath@lemmy.world 14 points 5 days ago

Some people love caring for fragile things. Boosts their self-esteem. It can also break them when they fail.

[-] Flocklesscrow@lemm.ee 10 points 5 days ago
[-] klemptor@startrek.website 6 points 5 days ago

Same here haha

Basically a 900LB Cocker Spaniel that's afraid of it's own farts and will eventually kill every single tree within reach. I also will never own horses.

this post was submitted on 10 Oct 2024
1171 points (100.0% liked)

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