Gustavus (horse)

Gustavus (1818 – after 1842) was a Thoroughbred racehorse that won the 1821 Epsom Derby. Gustavus was the first grey horse to win the Epsom Derby. He raced until he was four years old and was retired to stud in 1823. Gustavus was exported to Prussia in 1836, at the age of 18. Gustavus was not a successful sire.

Background

Gustavus was foaled in 1818 at the Hampton Court Stud. Gustavus was bred by the Prince Regent and was sired by the 1807 Derby winner Election. Election was a successful racehorse that was bred by the Earl of Egremont and was bought by the Prince of Wales after his racing career to stand at Hampton Court. His dam, Lady Grey, was bred by Colonel Childers at Cantley House in Yorkshire and was one of the Prince's famous "half-dozen grey mares" that were housed at Hampton-Court. Lady Grey's sire, Stamford, was a full-brother to the Epsom Derby winners Paris and Archduke.

In addition to breeding racehorses, the Prince also bred grey Thoroughbreds that would be "sufficiently powerful for his own riding," with Lady Grey purchased specifically for this purpose. Gustavus was a small yearling and the Prince did not think he would be a suitable riding horse. Gustavus was sold to Mr. Hunter for 25 guineas as a yearling. Hunter was reportedly unsatisfied with his purchase and attempted to sell the "shabby little gray" at a loss for 15 guineas, but he could not find a buyer for the colt. Gustavus was retained by Hunter and raced in his name for his entire racing career.

Horse

The horse (Equus ferus caballus) is one of two extant subspecies of Equus ferus. It is an odd-toed ungulate mammal belonging to the taxonomic family Equidae. The horse has evolved over the past 45 to 55 million years from a small multi-toed creature, Hyracotherium, into the large, single-toed animal of today. Humans began to domesticate horses around 4000 BC, and their domestication is believed to have been widespread by 3000 BC. Horses in the subspecies caballus are domesticated, although some domesticated populations live in the wild as feral horses. These feral populations are not true wild horses, as this term is used to describe horses that have never been domesticated, such as the endangered Przewalski's horse, a separate subspecies, and the only remaining true wild horse. There is an extensive, specialized vocabulary used to describe equine-related concepts, covering everything from anatomy to life stages, size, colors, markings, breeds, locomotion, and behavior.

Horses' anatomy enables them to make use of speed to escape predators and they have a well-developed sense of balance and a strong fight-or-flight response. Related to this need to flee from predators in the wild is an unusual trait: horses are able to sleep both standing up and lying down. Female horses, called mares, carry their young for approximately 11 months, and a young horse, called a foal, can stand and run shortly following birth. Most domesticated horses begin training under saddle or in harness between the ages of two and four. They reach full adult development by age five, and have an average lifespan of between 25 and 30 years.

Horse (disambiguation)

A horse is a hoofed mammal of the species Equus ferus caballus.

Horse or Horses may also refer to:

Animals

Arts and entertainment

Horse (zodiac)

The Horse (馬 午) is one of the 12-year cycle of animals which appear in the Chinese zodiac related to the Chinese calendar. There is a long tradition of the horse in Chinese mythology. Certain characteristics of the Horse nature are supposed to be typical of or to be associated with either a year of the Horse and its events, or in regard to the personality of someone born in such a year. Horse aspects can also enter by other chronomantic factors or measures, such as hourly.

Years and the Five Elements

People born within these date ranges can be said to have been born in the "Year of the Horse", while also bearing the following elemental sign:

Basic astrology elements

Relationship compatibility

Horses are thought to be particularly incompatible with Rat and Ox personalities; and to be particularly compatible with people of the Tiger and Dog type.

See also