Tarpan

Equus ferus ferus

Tarpan

“ A man on a horse is spiritually, as well as physically, bigger then a man on foot. ”

– John Steinbeck

Information

Domain: Eukaryota

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Clade: Synapsida

Class: Mammalia

Order: Perissodactyla

Family: Equidae

Genius: Equus

Species: Equus ferus

Subspecies: Equus ferus ferus

Descendant: Eohippus

Named by: Pieter Boddaert (1730 – 6 May 1795)

Year Published: 1785

Size: 140 and 145 centimetres (55 and 57 in) tall in height, Mass: 380 – 1,000 kilograms in weight

Lifespan: 12 to 30+ years

Type: 

Title: 

Pantheon: Terran/Gaian

Time Period: Holocene

Alignment: Loyal

Threat Level: ★★★★★★★★★★

Diet: Herbivorous 🌿🌱🍊🌾🥓

Elements: Normal, combat

Inflicts: Stunned

Weaknesses: Fae, arcane, combat, air, bug

Casualties: n/a

Based On: itself

Conservation Status: 

Tarpan (Equus ferus ferus) is an undomesticated odd-toed ungulate mammal found in Eurasian steppe to European forests durign ancient times to early 20th century ago. It is one of the two extant subspecies of Equus ferus and a member of the taxonomic family Equidae. Some of these horses are now commercially promoted as "tarpans", although such animals are only domestic breeds and not the wild animal themselves.

Etymology

The name "tarpan" or "tarpani" derives from a Turkic language (Kazakh or Kyrgyz) name meaning "wild horse".

Physical Appearance

Herodotus spoke of white wild horses, though some Heck's horses or Koniks are regarded as confirmations by Herodotus. Although gray and white horses were also mentioned, they were typically mouse-colored with a light belly and legs that turned black. The coat was thick and long. Whether or not the horses called tarpan had a standing mane like wild equines or a falling mane like domestic horses cannot be ascertained anymore, as historic reports have not been unambiguous on this subject. They also had short, frizzy manes and small, pinned ears. They were typically mouse-colored, with a light belly and legs becoming black, although gray and white horses were mentioned as well. The coat was long and dense.


Black and dun produce the grullo coat, while bay and dun produce the "bay dun" color seen in Przewalski's horses. Dark colors were a better camouflage in forests, so the loss of the dun dilution may have been advantageous in more forested western European landscapes. Given that historical accounts mention a light belly, pangaré or "mealy" coloration, a trait of other wild equines, may have been present in at least some European wild horses. Belsazar Hacquet (c. 1739 – 10 January 1815) claimed that the wild horses were small in stature, blackish brown in color, had thick, large heads, short, dark manes and tail hair, and a "beard." 

Abilities

They fiercely defended themselves against predators and were utterly untamable. Those horses were described as being small, swift, shy, and fleeing at any noise. The equine kick is a defense tool at its most basic. In the wild, horses can and frequently do lash out at predators with their hooves. Because it is instinctual, even the most calm and compliant horses may exhibit it depending on the circumstances.


The typical speed of a full-grown horse can reach 200 mph. Thus, it can hit objects and humans with an incredible force of about 1,200 psi.

Weather Phenomenon

Ecology

It is debated if the small, free-roaming horses seen in the Russian steppes during 18th and 19th centuries and called "tarpan" were indeed wild, never-domesticated horses, hybrids of the Przewalski's horse and local domestic animals, or simply feral horses. Through their role as natural fertilizers and through the movement of plant species, horses contribute significantly to the increase in plant diversity. Therefore, horses have a positive impact on both plant and animal biodiversity.


Steppes and wide grasslands are home to wild horses. Due to its widespread distribution, the domesticated horse no longer has a specific habitat.

Behavior

The Tarpan is very composed by nature. They are affable, inquisitive, and loving. The Tarpan has a high intelligence. They are self-sufficient and fairly obstinate. The Tarpan tends to rely more on its own judgment of a situation than to let its owner make decisions for it because, unlike the domesticated modern horse, it has not given up its freedom to man in exchange for food and care. Horses are frequently quite sociable and inquisitive creatures. However, because of their size and propensity for fear, it is crucial to be able to read their fundamental body language clues before approaching. Horses send off more nuanced indications than dogs do, which include wagging tails to indicate happiness and friendliness.

Distribution and Habitat

Wild horses have been present in Europe since the Pleistocene and ranged from southern France and Spain east to central Russia. There are cave drawings of primitive pre-domestication horses at Lascaux, France and in Cave of Altamira, Spain, as well as artifacts believed to show the species in southern Russia, where a horse of this type was domesticated around 3000 BC. Tarpans had a continuous range from western Europe to Alaska; historic material suggests wild horses lived in most parts of Holocene continental Europe and the Eurasian steppe, except for parts of Scandinavia, Iceland and Ireland.


However, during the 19th century, descriptions of a stocky breed of horse that lived in forests and highlands were made in Spain, the Pyrenees, the Camargue, the Ardennes, Great Britain, and the southern Swedish upland. They had a strong body, a big head, and a long, frizzy mane. The color was described as a light brown or yellowish brown with black legs and an eel stripe. There were spots on the shoulders and flanks, some of which had an ashy hue. They lived in rocky habitats and exhibited cunning and aggressive behavior. However, the term "tarpans" was never used to refer to those horses. The Munich Zoo produced a tarpan-like horse by selective breeding of domestic horses known to have tarpan ancestry.


Tamed

Equids, unlike other animals and beings, do not require feeding. It's easy to tame because all you have to do is hop on its back. While it may buck you off a couple of times at first, if you stay persistent, you'll have the equid under control in no time. If you're lucky, you'll be able to tame it all at once.

Lore

The horse has evolved over the past 45 to 55 million years from a small multi-toed creature, Eohippus, into the large, single-toed animal of today. Humans began domesticating horses around 4000 BC, and their domestication is believed to have been widespread by 3000 BC known as domesticated horse. Although some sources claim that it was not a genuine wild horse due to its resemblance to domesticated horses.


In Southern Europe, perhaps as early as antiquity, the human-caused extinction of wild horses in Europe began. Although the hunt for wild horses dates back to the Paleolithic, many cultures throughout history relied heavily on horse meat as a source of protein. The expanding human population on the Eurasian landmass continuously reduced the tarpan's range because they are large herbivores. Because wild horses frequently stole domestic mares from pastures and damaged hay stores, they were also targeted. Farmers also suffered financial losses as a result of interbreeding with wild horses because the resulting foals were difficult to raise. The tarpan became extinct in the wild in 1879, due to hunting, and in 1909 the last captive horse died in Russia.


Beginning in the 1930s, several attempts were made to develop horses that looked like tarpans through selective breeding, called "breeding back" by advocates. The breeds that resulted included the Heck horse, the Hegardt or Stroebel's horse, and a derivation of the Konik breed, all of which have a primitive appearance, particularly in having the grullo coat colour. Some of these horses are now commercially promoted as "tarpans". However, those who study the history of the ancient wild horse consider the word "tarpan" to describe only the true wild horse.

Known Individuals

Gallery

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Foreign Languages

Trivia