An equine is an easily recognizable mammal that belongs to the order Perissodactyla or perissodactyls or those animals that have hooves instead of fingers separated from each other. Many mammals belonged to this order but currently most of them are extinct, having disappeared thousands of years ago. The only surviving genus of this order is the Equus, in which we locate the current horses, zebras and donkeys. Other mammals belonging to this genus, extinct years ago, are the tarpans (extinct in 1875), the wild ass of the Atlas, the wild ass of Syria, the quagga (an animal similar to the zebra), and different breeds of horses.
Equines have several elements that serve to differentiate them from other mammals. First of all, equines (horses, zebras, and donkeys) are quadruped animals (that is, they have four legs). Their legs are generally long but at the same time strong, more than the legs of other quadrupeds such as deer or antelope. However, it is considered that a leg injury can be very serious for these animals since it is very difficult for them to recover from them. Another characteristic element of equines is that they have a tail of hair on the back and hair of different lengths on the back.
Zebras are perhaps the most easily identifiable animals of the three due to their striped black and white coloration. Also, unlike horses and donkeys, zebras are the only one of the three animals that are still kept in the wild. Both horses and donkeys are used by man for different tasks and activities, which is why they are considered domesticated animals.
All three animals are herbivores and have dentures specially prepared for plant-based food, that is, they do not have fangs or very sharp teeth. Horses do not present major differences between the two sexes unlike other animals.
