Overview: From the moment humans mounted horses 6,000 years ago, these magnificent animals helped shape our world by allowing mankind to explore, conquer, and flourish on horseback.

Join anthropologist Niobe Thompson on a global journey to examine the evolution of horsepower, discover the mysterious origins of our incredible partnership, and witness our enduring love of 400 breeds of horses today.

DVD Verdict: Taking it from the top, Equus is a genus of mammals in the family Equidae, which includes horses, donkeys, and zebras.

Within Equidae, Equus is the only recognized extant genus, comprising seven living species. Indeed, the term equine refers to any member of this genus, including horses.

Like Equidae more broadly, Equus has numerous extinct species known only from fossils. The genus most likely originated in North America and spread quickly to the Old World.

Equines are odd-toed ungulates with slender legs, long heads, relatively long necks, manes (erect in most subspecies), and long tails. All species are herbivorous, and mostly grazers, with simpler digestive systems than ruminants, but able to subsist on lower-quality vegetation.

While the domestic horse and donkey (along with their feral descendants) exist worldwide, wild equine populations are limited to Africa and Asia.

Wild equine social systems are in two forms; a harem system with tight-knit groups consisting of one adult male or stallion, several females or mares, and their young or foals; and a territorial system where males establish territories with resources that attract females, which associate very fluidly.

In both systems, females take care of their offspring, but males may play a role, as well. Equines communicate with each other both visually and vocally. Human activities have threatened wild equine populations.

'NATURE: Equus - Story of the Horse' focuses on anthropologist Niobe Thompson on a two-part adventure around the world and a journey back in time to discover the origins of the horse.

In a stunning 3D reconstruction, we see the earliest member of the horse family rise from a fossil bed and begin a remarkable transformation into the magnificent animal we know today.

We discover why horses have 360-degree vision and gallop on a single toe and at the same time explore the science of speed with renowned racehorse trainers.

We watch as they uncover the emotional intelligence of horses and their deep connection with humans. We also encounter extraordinary horse breeds from Saudi Arabia to Kentucky to Siberia, and meet the horses of Sable Island that are truly returning to the wild ways of their ancestors.

In closing, after watching this incredible documentary, you will never ever look at a horse the same way you did before. An amazing, intelligent creature that can be a friend and bring joy to anyone's life. This is a Widescreen Presentation (1.85:1) enhanced for 16x9 TVs.