Lead:
As one of the earliest companions of mankind, horses played an irreplaceable role in agriculture and warfare, and horses are also present in culture.
Horses have been domesticated as human labor since ancient times, and they are still used as heavy objects in many places, but the biological characteristics of horses are not suitable for this kind of heavy transportation, so it is very common for horses to die.
Somala is a place where horses are trained, and in order to allow horses to obey the command of their riders, horse trainers have designed many tools, among which horse chews are more common, and horse chews are an important tool for domesticating horses.
However, it has also caused controversy among many.
The role of horse chews.
Domesticating horses is not an easy task, because the physiology of horses is very different from that of humans, and a large part of their nerves are concentrated in the mouth.
The domesticators devised a number of tools to get horses to obey commands, and one of them was the horse chew.
Horse chews are a tool that helps domesticators communicate with horses.
It is shaped like a U-shape, and when the domesticator puts the horse's chew into the horse's mouth, part of the horse's chew stimulates the nerve endings in the horse's mouth.
The level of stimulation depends on the type and design of the horse's chew, but in any case, the horse's chew can make the horse uncomfortable, forcing the horse to follow the rider's commands.
Through the use of horse chews, communication between the domesticator and the horse was greatly enhanced.
There is a wide variety of designs for horse chews, and each type is optimized for its specific function.
Here are some common types of horse chews and their functions:
1. Straight Horse Chew: Straight Horse Chew is the simplest and most common type and is usually made of metal or plastic.
It has a straight and flat shape, making it suitable for beginner riders and basic domestication training.
2. Curved Horse Chew: The Curved Horse Chew has a downward bend at both ends and is suitable for advanced riders who need more precise control.
This horse chew can effectively stimulate different parts of the horse's muzzle, providing more feedback.
3. Intraoral horse chew: This horse chew not only stimulates the nerve endings on the outside of the horse's mouth, but can also be placed in the internal position of the horse's mouth.
It usually has metallic spheres or sharp edges that can increase the intensity of the stimulation.
4. Multifunctional Horse Chew: The Multifunctional Horse Chew combines multiple functions with multiple stimulation points and different shape designs.
They can provide more feedback and control, allowing the trainer to adjust to the horse's individual needs.
The design of the horse chew also varies depending on the region and cultural differences.
Domesticators in different regions designed suitable types of horse chews according to local horse breeds and riding customs.
The materials of horse chew are also diverse, including metal, plastic, rubber, etc.
The choice of these materials is designed to balance the relationship between the level of stimulation, durability and comfort.
Although the horse chew played an important role in domestication, it also caused some controversy.
Some animal welfare organizations believe that the use of horse chew is a cruel practice that can cause harm and suffering to horses.
However, domesticators believe that horse chewing is a necessary tool to improve domestication effects and riding safety.
Effect of horse chew on the horse's mouth
Although the use of horse chews played an important role in domestication, their impact on the horse's mouth is also worth paying attention to.
First, horse chews can cause physical damage to a horse's mouth.
If used incorrectly, horse chews can cause injuries such as scratches, abrasions, and even punctures, which can pose a risk of pain and infection.
Therefore, tamers must be careful when using horse chews to ensure proper placement and use to reduce damage to the horse's mouth.
Secondly, the intensity of stimulation in horses can cause a stress response in horses.
Some horses are very sensitive to stimuli and may experience extreme discomfort and fear when using a horse chew.
This can lead to abnormal behavior in horses and even trigger greater stress and uncooperation.
Therefore, domesticators must take into account the individual differences of horses when choosing and using horse chews in order to find the level and type of stimulation that best suits them.
In addition, long-term use of unsuitable horse chews may negatively affect the growth and development of the horse's mouth.
The bone structure and growth of a horse's mouth are affected by a variety of factors, including stress, stimulation, and nutrition.
Unsuitable chews can lead to problems such as bone deformities, poor growth, or misaligned teeth, which not only affects the appearance of the horse's mouth, but can also cause pain and dysfunction.
The use of horse chew and its effects on the horse's mouth have sparked extensive discussion and research. Some studies have shown that proper horse chewing can improve a horse's performance and health, while an inappropriate horse chew may lead to behavioral and health problems in horses.
This provides important guidance for domesticators to better balance the relationship between domestication effects and horse welfare.
The process of domesticating horses may have left horses extinct.
The domestication process of the "horse" species is complicated, and it has been suggested that the process of domesticating horses is very simple, because horses have the same preferences as humans in the process of contact with humans.
But this view is not accurate, because horses were domesticated more than 2,000 years ago.
When horses evolved is a mystery to biologists, and animals that can survive on Earth like humans must have powerful and complex survival capabilities.
The encounter between humans and horses took place in the Eurasian steppes in 4000 BC, when two tribes used to use wild "protohorses" for heavy transport.
In the process of contact, the two tribes also developed a herd-like relationship, and the horses found that they would be treated better with humans.
So it can be judged that the domestication of horses first took place in the Eurasian steppes in 4000 BC, and horses gradually unlocked human preferences at this stage.
But there are some aspects that are still controversial about the evolution of horses.
Prior to this, it was believed that they were the same as wild "protohorses", so "protohorses" were considered the target of domestication.
But there are also those who believe that modern horses evolved from domesticated "protohorses".
The "original horse" is an animal that is similar to the modern horse, but slightly different.
Wild "proto-horses" are larger, live in warm climates, and prefer to graze.
They are larger, and the shape of their teeth is conducive to nibbling on tougher plants.
But the domesticated "proto-horse" gradually adapted to human life, like most of the animals that are now domesticated.
Because the domesticated "proto-horse" had no predators in its life, it became smaller in size, and the shape of the teeth and faces became similar to that of modern horses, making them suitable for grazing.
Regardless of the relationship between the wild "original horse" and the domesticated "original horse", it can be seen from this point that the survival and development of horses are inseparable from humans.
At that time, horses were man's best companions, and the process of their domestication was also a process of helping each other.
epilogue
The contribution of horses to humans is undeniable, and although there are great differences between individuals, the importance of horses to humans cannot be overlooked.
Without the existence of humans, perhaps the horse would have died out long ago, and it is precisely because of the emergence of humans that the survival of the horse has been ensured to a certain extent, and the species of horse has continued under the care of humans.