Posted on 04/28/2017 4:23:08 PM PDT by SteveH
At some point in the past two millennia peanuts on an evolutionary time scale humans transformed their horses into equine speed demons. Selective breeding had a price, though, beyond $30,000 vials of pedigreed racehorse sperm. Unhelpful mutations plagued the animals. The current population of domesticated horses is about 55 million, but at some point in their history, their genetic diversity crashed. The Y chromosomes of all the world's stallions are now quite similar, suggesting that only a relatively few males were the ancestors of today's horses.
Humans have not always bred so selectively, according to a study published in the journal Science on Thursday. Horse domestication began about 5,500 years ago. Ancient equestrians were not interested in superfast animals. They were more interested in diversity and potential, said Ludovic Orlando, a professor of molecular archaeology at the University of Copenhagen's Natural History Museum of Denmark and an author of the new study.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
Whips have DNA?
Muslim Horse breeding involves a step stool......
It started when we ate the slow ones.
Just can't not inject modern PC nostrums into anything and everything, apparently. They weren't "interested" in diversity, it was just pretty much physical reality with geographic limitations and restricted travel for most. I'd say they were most interested in docility and utility, myself.
Humans have not always bred so selectively..
Tell me about it. From 18 to 30 I...well...forget it.
And spurs too?
I don't believe that any horse that is the product of artificial insemination would be considered a thoroughbred by the Jockey Club, and so would not be eligible to race at any US Thoroughbred Racetrack, and probably not at any Thoroughbred Racetrack worldwide.
ML/NJ
I have a Spanish Mustang in the barn.Anyone who needs a horse faster than her must have a death wish.The Spanish ranchers sure knew how to breed horses.Smart,fast,and tough.
I seem to remember reading many years ago that all thoroughbred race horses today descend from Nashua (IIRC). Morgan horses also have a specific progenitor. But I wouldn’t think this applies to all breeds.
My father had one of those . Quickest best horse you have ever seen around cattle. Came from West Texas. Would stop on a dime at any small stream/pond or water of any kind. Desert horse did not understand free flowing water. Tossed .many riders
.
Artificial insemination is widely used in horse and other animal breeding.
Molly the mustang is a real people friendly horse.She’s crazy fast and agile but never tries to unload me.She’s a horse that will work with you,not try to test you all the time.
But... They’ve never been anything other than horses. Evolution my ass.
The Jockey Club may issue a ‘racing permit’ for non-thoroughbreds that is accepted by state racing commissions.
I am sure they are very selective in granting this but I don’t know the details.
From Wikipedia:
Unlike a significant number of registered breeds today, a horse cannot be registered as a Thoroughbred (with The Jockey Club registry) unless conceived by live cover, the witnessed natural mating of a mare and a stallion.So if we're talking about the fastest horses, the WaPo reporter is FOS. (No surprise.)
ML/NJ
“suggesting that only a relatively few males were the ancestors of today’s horses.”
did the Great Flood have anything to do with it? When was that?
This is the key phrase in what you posted. Some jurisdictions run Arabians, and maybe other breeds, I don't know, in separate races for that/those breed(s). But thoroughbreds only race with other thoroughbreds at any racetrack that ever runs a race in front of more than 200 people.
ML/NJ
suggesting that only a relatively few males were the ancestors of todays horses.
did the Great Flood have anything to do with it? When was that?
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