Earthly Equine Evolution

**labelwench** · 06-23-2010 12:19 AM

I found this article to quite interesting in that the apparent weak point in the leg bone of the horse may actually be deceptively strong and prove useful to humans in future design and engineering. LW

Author-Don Deyoung

“Horse Leg Bones”

The sight of a galloping horse is a thing of beauty. Its bones and muscles awe equine lovers of all ages. But on closer inspection, there seems to be a terrible flaw at the point of greatest stress—a hole in its shin.

Horses have a small bone just below their front knees called the third metacarpal, or shin bone, which supports their whole weight even when galloping. Only about the thickness of a human wrist, the bone must endure a lot of stress without fracturing. To make matters worse, a pea-sized hole, called a foramen, cuts through the small bone to make room for blood vessels. In manmade structures, similar holes are a frequent source of weakness and failure. So at first glance, horse legs appear to be poorly designed.

Taking a closer look at the equine leg bone, however, scientists have discovered unexpected features that give it amazing strength and may inspire new engineering ideas. They found that the bone tissue surrounding the hole is arranged in a way that directs stresses away from the hole toward stronger regions of the leg bone. The hole is also elliptical, with its long axis pointed along the length of the bone. This geometry provides extra strength under compression, as the horse walks or runs. Occasionally a horse may experience a broken metacarpus (a special hazard for racehorses), but the fracture seldom takes place at the opening, as you might expect.

Engineers at the University of Florida have modeled the horse metacarpal bone to understand how it remains so strong under pressure. First they drilled small holes in plates of various materials. Then they surrounded these openings with polyurethane foam and tested the structures by applying forces. When the plates were stressed to the point of cracking, the fractures were found to be separate from the openings, as is the case for horse fractures. Instead of being a weak link in bone design, the foramen is a source of strength.

This discovery may point to solutions to some age-old engineering challenges. Traditionally, openings or holes in manufactured structures must be reinforced with extra thick material. Think, for example, of portholes on a ship, surrounded by heavy ring-shaped plates and bolts. The horse design suggests that by varying the type of material around such openings we may accomplish the same purpose. Such lightweight solutions are especially desirable in aircraft design, where openings are needed for wires and hydraulic lines. Engineers would love to increase the planes' strength while reducing weight (and fuel costs).

It is assumed that fossils show evolutionary progress and improvements over time. However, horse fossils typically have third metacarpal bones very similar to present-day horses, complete with foramen openings. Many other mammals, including people, have similar bone openings for blood vessels. This skeletal structure shows exquisite design.

**RascalPuff** · 06-23-2010 04:29 PM

Hi LW:
Excerpted this one from J.A. Thomson's THE OUTLINE OF SCIENCE, copyright 1922 - figured there was a place for it here in TQ's one and only exclusively equine thread (that you inspired me to initiate)...

Guess it qualifies as 'comparative anatomy', and once again salutes the horse for all its done for so many people for such a long time.

Photo: British Museum (Natural History).
COMPARISONS OF THE SKELETONS OF HORSE AND MAN
Bone for bone, the two skeletons are like one another, though man is a biped and the horse a quadruped. The backbone in man is mainly vertical; the backbone in the horse is horizontal except in the neck and the tail. Man's skull is mainly in a line with the backbone; the horse's at an angle to it. Both man and horse have seven neck vertebræ. Man has five digits on each limb; the horse has only one digit well developed on each limb.

Best regards,
- Kai

**labelwench** · 06-23-2010 08:33 PM

The following has been taken from an article on horse psychology, and serves as a primer into the 'rules of the game' as relates to the equine. Most problems encountered between human and horse are related to the fact that one must be consistent in dealing with horses, and our species are known for our 'monkey mind', ever moving from topic to topic, and never for long 'in the moment'.

Horses live, always, 'in the moment'.

Therein arises the challenge between human and horse. LW

Humans have been fascinated with horses for millennia. No limit to the possibility of relationship between horses and men has ever been found. From "Black Beauty" to "The Black Stallion," readers and movie-goers alike cherish the magical moments when they, too, are in the company of horses.

Whether you’re an equiphile, or just a little curious, here are ten things you may not know about living with horses.

Hints for Horse Owners and Horse Lovers

1. Someone has to be the leader. Here's a hint: whoever controls the others' feet wins. More than your pride will be hurt if the horse is victorious and celebrates by dancing on your feet.

2. The term 'dumb horse' doesn't refer to equine intelligence, but rather their inability to speak as humans. Generally speaking, horses are more effective people trainers than people are horse trainers.

3. Yelling at a horse only confirms their opinion that you are either dangerous or a lunatic. Either way, you lose.

4. Manure is good. The absence of manure production means you will sponsor one more semester at that private college for your veterinarians' kid.

5. Horses, like children, must be taught to hate and be hateful. They were not born that way.

6. No human has ever trumped the horse's capacity to forgive.

7. Horses are not easily impressed. They are more interested in the fly crawling on the barn wall than your wealth, status, connections or pedigree.

8. If you are a student of leadership, there is no better study partner than a horse. You can’t dazzle them with words. No chain of command will cause a horse to follow you; its devotion can only be earned. Everything you learn from a horse will help make you a better person away from the barn. And, horses never lie or ‘spin.’ You get honest feedback – every time.

9. Horses prefer the one who provides security and structure over the one who only offers cookies.

10. The life span of a horse, on average, is about 20-25 years. You can have a horse or you can have a life; you can’t have both. Horses require a huge commitment of time, money, and energy. Life with horses is, however, an investment that pays huge dividends.

No trainer has ever mastered the art of the horse. Probably none ever will. But, the joy of relationship with horses, from the most royally bred Arabian to the shaggiest pony, has been treasured by generations of young folks and those who are only young at heart.

**RascalPuff** · 06-25-2010 06:30 PM

bringing you the best horse art on the web

home

The Horse Art Collection horse clip art portfolio on this page is free for your use.
It is in the public domain and it can be used for any purpose.

**RascalPuff** · 06-25-2010 06:34 PM

**RascalPuff** · 06-25-2010 06:44 PM

File:Lascaux2.jpg

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Jump to: navigation, search

No higher resolution available.
Lascaux2.jpg‎ (598 × 450 pixels, file size: 120 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg)

This is a file from the Wikimedia Commons. The description on its description page there is shown below.
Commons is a freely licensed media file repository. You can help.

[edit] Summary

DescriptionLascaux2.jpg Image of a horse from the Lascaux caves.
DateStone age.
Sourcehttp://www.mageist.net/Images/lascaux_horse.jpg
AuthorCro-Magnon peoples
Permission
(Reusing this file)See below.
[edit] Licensing

This is a faithful photographic reproduction of an original two-dimensional work of art. The work of art itself is in the public domain for the following reason:

This work is in the public domain in the United States, and those countries with a copyright term of life of the author plus 100 years or fewer.

**labelwench** · 06-25-2010 08:06 PM

(See horse clip art #24 to know what I was doing earlier this afternoon, although I was only trimming the feet, and not putting on shoes.)

As I pulled up to the corral, the bay Morgan mare came running from inside her barn to greet me. Unless a knowledgeable horse person, few would know her to be 16 years of age, as she was alert, lively and in excellent form from self-exercise.

This was Handy's sire's dam, or paternal grandmother in human terms. I had acquired the mare 13 years ago, in trade for a supply of hay, which was scarce that winter, and the bossy young mare was in contempt of her young owner and generally being a poor investment for a trail ride mount for tourists, when even the wrangler's found her a handful. By her pedigree, she was well-bred and too clever for her own good.

I remembered that this horse had come into the Yukon in the uterus of the mount of one of the Rodeo Queens some 17 years ago, and as I judged the Horsemanship portion of their competition, I had no idea that there was one more horse in the ring than was obvious to the eye, as the fetus would only have been about the size of a grapefruit.

At another time, I went with a friend to examine a young filly that she was considering for her husband, and her hope was for a horse that would grow to 16 Hands, as her husband was quite a tall man.

"This one will not make 16," I said. "She'll finish 15 Hands, maybe," there being a couple of formulas for estimating height, which have never failed me yet.

And so, a couple of years later, Brook came to be in my stable, trained and shown one year, and used by myself when instructing my students. My herd, at that time was mostly of Quarter Horse stock, and the Morgan was not the best fit in personality with my school horses and so she came to be sold to my good friend, also a skilled horsewoman.

Personal matters had decided that Brook should now seek another home, and as I approached the good mare, I realized that this might well be the last time I performed this pedicure service for her, and so, as we were alone, I spent a little extra time with the horse, and allowed her to rest each foot between the nipping and the rasping. The weather having been dry, the hooves were very hard and a challenge even for my sharp nippers and rasp, so I was equally appreciative of a short rest between tasks.

Having turned loose the mare when done, I hung up her halter, and tucked a couple of the horseshoe shaped parings around the heel knot, knowing that the owner would recognize my calling card and know that the appointment, ever at my discretion, had been kept.

Appointments, I thought, as I drove away, the watching mare reflected in the rear-view mirror.

Life is what happens to you while you're busy making plans. So much for appointments..........

**RascalPuff** · 06-25-2010 09:38 PM

Hi LW:
Your adventures are no less riveting than your keen ability to communicate.
It sure is fun, interesting and educational being among your pen pals. Yes Ma'am.

Best guess is you're familiar with veterinarian, James Herriot's seriatim of books elucidating his adventures as an animal doctor in Yorkshire England...?

"All Things Bright & Beautiful
All Creatures Great & Small
All Things Wise & Wonderful
The Lord God Made Them All".
- Cecil Frances Alexander, 1818 - 1895

Guess you've made it clear that you're an accomplished horse shoe & hoof ferrier...
Do you do any blacksmithing?

Molly Keyboard MacColley says 'Woof-tah'.
- Kai

**labelwench** · 06-26-2010 03:27 AM

Originally Posted by RascalPuff

Hi LW:
Your adventures are no less riveting than your keen ability to communicate.
It sure is fun, interesting and educational being among your pen pals. Yes Ma'am.

Best guess is you're familiar with veterinarian, James Herriot's seriatim of books elucidating his adventures as an animal doctor in Yorkshire England...?

"All Things Bright & Beautiful
All Creatures Great & Small
All Things Wise & Wonderful
The Lord God Made Them All".
- Cecil Frances Alexander, 1818 - 1895

Guess you've made it clear that you're an accomplished horse shoe & hoof ferrier...
Do you do any blacksmithing?

Molly Keyboard MacColley says 'Woof-tah'.
- Kai

One of my former students, an aircraft engineer, learned the basics of trimming and 'cold-shoeing' from myself,and then went on to learn the craft of blacksmithing and working with metal on a portable forge, shaping bar stock into shoes and punching the nails holes into same, to custom fit each horse.

As preformed shoes are commercially available, these were the medium that I am accustomed to working with for the limited number of times that my horses have required mechanical assistance due to weather conditions (extended periods of wet weather).

My preferred ideology has been to breed animals with exceptional feet, which was also my strategy with my sled dogs, which amazed many people in the quality of their pads and the reduced need to use booties or pad protection when I competed in long distance races. Only the most extreme conditions of snow, or 'razor ice' on the big lakes ever required me to 'boot up' my whole team.

With my present horses, neither of Caramel or Madelaine have as yet had need for shoes, as they have inherent hoof condition that the Morgan breed is noted for. Not impossible that some day I might need to shoe them, yet, with natural trimming and maintaining good condition through genetics, feeding and riding to further condition the hoof, shoeing of the horse can be kept to a minimum, as it is a controversial practice, at best, sometimes necessary, but better if we can work with nature's model in designing the hoof of the horse.

I am the student of many endeavors, Kai, though the mistress of none, beyond functional application. You are most kind to credit my efforts, and I readily admit that I have far more to learn in all disciplines.

**labelwench** · 06-26-2010 08:30 PM

I stumbled upon this poem, author not listed, yet it strikes a chord with me in light of the gift that I have received in Handy.

The Foal

I'll lend you for a little while my grandest foal, HE said.

for you to love while he's alive and mourn when he is dead.

It may be one or twenty years, or days or months, you see,

but will you, till I take him back, take care of him for me?

He'll bring his charms to gladden you, and should his stay be brief,

you'll have treasured memories as solace for your grief.

I cannot promise he will stay, since all from earth return,

but there are lessons taught on earth I want this foal to learn.

I've looked the wide world over In my search for teachers true.

And from the throngs that crowd life's lanes, with trust, I've chosen you.

Now will you give him total love? not think the labor vain,

nor hate me when I come here to take him back again?

I know you'll give him tenderness and love will bloom each day,

and for the happiness you've known, forever grateful stay

But should I come and call for him much sooner than you'd planned,

you'll brave the bitter grief that comes, and someday, understand...

Thread: Earthly Equine Evolution

LinkBack

Thread Tools

Display

Re: Earthly Equine Evolution

The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to labelwench For This Useful Post:

Re: Earthly Equine Evolution

The Following User Says Thank You to RascalPuff For This Useful Post:

Re: Earthly Equine Evolution

The Following User Says Thank You to labelwench For This Useful Post:

Re: Earthly Equine Evolution

The Following User Says Thank You to RascalPuff For This Useful Post:

Re: Earthly Equine Evolution

The Following User Says Thank You to RascalPuff For This Useful Post:

Re: Earthly Equine Evolution

The Following User Says Thank You to RascalPuff For This Useful Post:

Re: Earthly Equine Evolution

The Following User Says Thank You to labelwench For This Useful Post:

Re: Earthly Equine Evolution

The Following User Says Thank You to RascalPuff For This Useful Post:

Re: Earthly Equine Evolution

The Following User Says Thank You to labelwench For This Useful Post:

Re: Earthly Equine Evolution

The Following User Says Thank You to labelwench For This Useful Post:

Thread Information

Users Browsing this Thread

Posting Permissions