Within the family Equidae, Equus is the only recognized extant genus, comprising seven living species, but this genus also has numerous extinct species, most known only from fossils.

The term Equine refers to any member of the genus Equus, but in practice is most often used to refer only to horses. All of the species in this genus, which include asses, horses and zebras, are odd-toed hoofed animals with slender legs, long heads, relatively long necks, manes (erect in most species) and long tails. All species are herbivorous, and mostly grazers and able to subsist on lower quality vegetation.

The word equus is Latin for horse, and is cognate with the Greek word hippos, also meaning horse.

One species of Ass is found in the wild only in Africa and all asses found in the Americas are descendants of the African species. Two other species of the Asses are found in several locations in Asia.

Although zebras are divided in three separate species zebras, all three species are in the same genus as donkeys and horses.

All three zebras species are equine from Africa which are united by their distinctive black and white striped coats. Their stripes come in different patterns, unique to each individual. They are generally social animals that live in small harems to large herds.

Zebras have never been truly domesticated, which is unlike their closest relatives, horses and donkeys, both of which have domesticated species.

Equines communicate with each other both visually and vocally.

While the domestic horse and donkey (and feral descendants) exist worldwide, wild equine populations of asses and zebras are limited to only Asia and Africa.

Human activities have threatened wild equine populations and of all the wild species, only the wild plains zebra remains widespread and abundant.

Wild equine social systems come in two forms and in both systems, females take care of their offspring but males may play a role as well:

(1) a harem system with tight-knit groups consisting of one adult male or stallion, several females or mares and their young or foals; and

(2) a territorial system where males establish territories with resources that attract females, which associate very fluidly.

Subspecies: Four extant, Two extinct.

Three Supspecies

Subspecies: caballus, Domestic Horses

Subspecies: przewalskii, Przewalski's Horse

Subspecies: ferus, The Tarpan