"For centuries, society could not have functioned without the horse; not only was it used for transportation, it was also a working animal on farms, in mines, and on the battlefield. this diversity consequently led to the development of myriads of breeds throughout the world. Climatic and geographical differences, not to mention the intervention of man, also played their part in forming the breeds. Those originating in desert areas not only had fine coats to enable them to deal with hot daytime temperatures, they were also hardy enough to withstand plummeting temperatures at night. At the other extreme, breeds living in colder lands developed heavier, thicker coats to make them impervious to wind and rain. man was not content to let evolution take its natural course, however, and decided to take a hand in the matter, interbreeding horses with different characteristics to produce and accentuate specific qualities. thus the different breeds were developed to fit their roles. Warhorses became large and stocky, able to carry medieval knights in heavy chain mail, while draft horses were bred for strength to till the land or to heave heavy carts across difficult terrain. The ultimate breeding triumph is undoubtedly the Thoroughbred, which was developed for the racecourse, and therefore pleasure. It is aristocratic and finely-tuned and its bloodlines are in many of the modern breeds we know today. It is responsible for adding quality, beauty, speed, and stamina. Not content with a comprehensive coverage of the horse breeds and types of the world, there are also sections on care to give the reader a complete and rounded insight into the pleasures, as well as problems, of looking after horses."--cover flaps