Did you know that only zebras, wild asses, and Mongolian wild horses are true wild horses? The rest of the other horses and donkeys are domestic horses. They are different from wild horses because people have changed their anatomy and behaviour over the years by selective breeding and training. Domestic horses that escape or are set free into the wild do not become wild horses. They are known as feral horses. They are not really wild horses. All horses, domestic and wild, are related closely enough to be included in a single general scientific category—the genus Equus.

Teething tales:

All horses are grazers, which means they tear and eat grass. The front teeth do the grabbing and tearing, and chewing is done with the back teeth. Like humans, horses have two complete sets of teeth during their lives — a set of ‘baby teeth’ that falls out, and a permanent set of ‘adult teeth’. The adult teeth are very long. As the chewing part of each tooth is worn down by eating, the bone in this its jaw grows and pushes out more of the tooth.

Pure vegetarians:

Horses are strictly herbivores, which means they eat only plants — in particular, grass. The only time they might eat anything different is accidentally, as when they are grooming insects off the-mselves or neighbours’.

Grooming style:

Many wild horses groom each other. To do so, they stand side by side, facing in opposite directions. They gently bite each other’s coats. In this way, they are able to clean parts of their bodies that would otherwise be difficult to reach.

As fast as can be:

Within a few hours after it is born, a young wild horse can run fast enough to keep up with the herd. It is able to do this because its legs are long for its size — almost as long as they will be when the horse is fully grown. Usually, only one foal is born at a time.

In the case of Mongolian wild horses, the coat of a newborn foal is often quite light in colour. After four or five weeks, this is shed and replaced by a darker coat. Foals usually stay close to their mothers. When there is danger, they are moved to the centre of group and protected by all of the adults.

Their homes:

Wild horses are found only in Africa and Asia. Zebras are strictly African animals. Wild asses are found mostly in Asia, although a couple of species can be found in Africa. Mongolian wild horses originated in central Asia but were extinct in the wild for some time. Recently, some captively bred Mongolian wild horses were reintroduced to their native range.

Live and let live:

A few wild horses are safe for right now. Plains zebras are quite numerous. But other zebra species, including the Cape mountain zebra, are endangered. Mongolian wild horses were extinct in the wild 30 years ago, but are currently being reintroduced to their former range by using captive stock. The onager, with 400 left in the wild, is probably the most critically endangered wild ass.

Equestrian facts:

• Only zebras, wild asses, and Mongolian wild horses are true wild horses

• Feral horses are domestic horses set free in the wild

• Horses are herbivorous

• Like humans, they have two sets of teeth — baby teeth and adult teeth

• A young wild horse can run fast enough to keep up with the herd within a few hours of its birth

• Wild horses are an endangered species, we need to protect them