Uberphishtaurs/Hossmen

The Uberphishtaurs (also known as "Horsefolk") are a species of odd quadrupedla animals thriving across Heimland, specifically in the Heimish-Forests.

Basic Information

Anatomy

Uberphishtaurs appear as quadrupedal creatures with two legs facing forward and two legs facing backwards. Each Uberphishtaur has two heads. This may be a result of genetic mutation, but all Uberphishtaurs are born with two. There are no recorded cases of foals with one head being born, or surviving past birth.
An Uberphishtaur skeleton averages 410 bones. A significant difference between the Uberphishtaur skeleton and that of a person is the lack of a collarbone; the Uberphishtaur's forelimbs are attached to the spinal column by a powerful set of muscles, tendons, and ligaments that attach the shoulder blade to the torso. The Uberphishtaur's legs and hooves are also unique structures. Their leg bones are proportioned differently from those of a human. For example, the body part that is called an Uberphishtaur's "knee" is actually made up of the carpal bones that correspond to the human wrist. Similarly, the hock contains bones equivalent to those in the human ankle and heel. The lower leg bones of an Uberphishtaur correspond to the bones of the human hand or foot, and the fetlock (incorrectly called the "ankle") is actually the proximal sesamoid bones between the cannon bones (a single equivalent to the human metacarpal or metatarsal bones) and the proximal phalanges, located where one finds the "knuckles" of a human. An Uberphishtaur also has no muscles in its legs below the knees and hocks, only skin, hair, bone, tendons, ligaments, cartilage, and the assorted specialized tissues that make up the hoof.
The feet of an Uberphishtaur are rather odd. Four toes fused into one hoof; the hoof begins with the distal-phalanges (the equivalent of the human fingertip or tip of the toe) surrounded by cartilage and other specialized, blood-rich soft tissues such as the laminae. The exterior hoof wall and "horn" of the sole is made of keratin, the same material as a human fingernail. The end result is that an Uberphishtaur, weighing on average 500 kilograms (1,100 lb), travels on the same bones as would a human on tiptoe. For the protection of the hoof under certain conditions, some Uberphishtaurs have horseshoes placed on their feet by a professional farrier. The hoof continually grows, and in most domesticated Uberphishtaurs needs to be trimmed (and horseshoes reset, if used) every five to eight weeks, though the hooves of Uberphishtaurs in the wild wear down and regrow at a rate suitable for their terrain.
The odd position of their legs mean that Uberphishtaurs move naturally with four basic gaits: the four-beat walk which averages 6.4 kilometres per hour (4.0 mph the two-beat trot or jog at 13 to 19 kilometres per hour (8.1 to 11.8 mph the canter or lope, a three-beat gait that is 19 to 24 kilometres per hour (12 to 15 mph and the gallop which averages 70.76 kilometres per hour (43.97 mph). When they move, their legs shift like that of a crab in a side-to-side scuttling motion.
Domesticated Uberphishtaurs are made to wear sarongs (a blanket of about a yard (0.91 m) wide and two-and-a-half yards (2.3 m) long; made from a blend of cotton, polyester, nylon and silk) around their "waists". The sarong is fastened around the "waist" of the Uberphishtaur by a black lather belt, and is supposed to act as a form of apron to prevent mud and other filth from dirtying the Uberphishtaur's fur.
The following picture shows a domesticated male Uberphishtaur wearing a sarong and black belt:

by C.S.De Silva (Ken D)

Genetics and Reproduction

Gestation lasts approximately 340 days, with an average range 320–370 days, and usually results in one foal/child; twins are rare. Uberphishtaurs are a precocial species, and foals are capable of standing and running within a short time following birth. Foals are usually born in the spring. The estrous cycle of a mare occurs roughly every 19–22 days and occurs from early spring into autumn. Most mares enter an anestrus period during the winter and thus do not cycle in this period. Foals are generally weaned from their mothers between four and six months of age.

Growth Rate & Stages

From birth Uberphishtaurs age in five stages:
1 year: Verti (foal, baby Uberphishtaur)
2 years: Vertixico (pre-teen Uberphishtaur)
3 - 300 years: Verticcolo (teenage Uberphishtaur)
301-700: Vertifexian (young-adult Uberphishtaur)
701-1000: Vertixissimus (adult Uberphishtaur)

Ecology and Habitats

Grasslands, open fields.

Dietary Needs and Habits

They have seasonal food preferences (grasses, roots etc.)

Additional Information

Social Structure

Uberphishtaurs live in large groups called "herds". Herds are protected by Alphas, the strongest Uberphishtaurs of the particular herd. They are social creatures that are able to form companionship attachments to their own species and to other animals, including humans. Sometimes two different herds will merge together to form a larger herd. This is a good survival tactic. Strength in numbers is the most important thing among Uberphishtaurs.

Domestication

Originally the species was fully domesticated, used by the Folk to pull carts and provide mounts in battle. After the Folk vanished, most of the Uberphishtaurs became rogue and set to live in the wild. Horses and peps replaced the Uberphishtaurs as mounts.
Uberphishtaurs are still used by farmers to pull sleds, carry heavy lads, pull carriages and plow fields.
Domesticated Uberphishtaurs wear sarongs and are shaven, their manes shortened. The sarong an Uberphishtaur wears can also determine the owner if the animal gets lost: a farmer can stitch his name onto the cloth of the sarong, or brand his name into the leather belt. This ensures that a domesticated Uberphishtaur can be returned safely to its home.

Uses, Products & Exploitation

Many products are derived from Uberphishtaurs, including meat, milk, hide, hair, bone, and pharmaceuticals extracted from the urine of pregnant females. Elmer's glue (dried Uberphishtaur dung) and rootbeer powder (dried Uberphishtaur spit) can also be extracted, and are the main ingredients in Ealuþ. Farmers provide domesticated Uberphishtaurs with food, water and shelter, as well as attention from specialists such as veterinarians and farriers.

Geographic Origin and Distribution

Landmark: Heimish-Forests

Average Intelligence

Humanoid

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

Their senses are based on their status as prey animals, where they must be aware of their surroundings at all times. They have the largest eyes of any land prey, and are lateral-eyed, meaning that their eyes are positioned on the sides of their heads. This means that Uberphishtaurs have a range of vision of more than 350°, with approximately 65° of this being binocular-vision and the remaining 285° monocular-vision. Uberphishtaurs have excellent day and night vision, but they have two-color (dichromatic) vision; their color-vision is somewhat like red-green color-blindness in people, where certain colors, especially red and related colors, appear as a shade of green or brownish-green. Their sense of smell, while much better than that of humans, is not quite as good as that of a dog. It is believed to play a key role in the social interactions of Uberphishtaurs as well as detecting other key scents in the environment. Uberphishtaurs have two olfactory centers. The first system is in the nostrils and nasal cavity, which analyze a wide range of odors. The second, located under the nasal cavity, are the Vomeronasal-organs. These have a separate nerve pathway to the brain and appear to primarily analyze pheromones.

Symbiotic and Parasitic organisms

Uberphishtaurs and people interact in a wide variety of sport competitions and non-competitive recreational pursuits, as well as in working activities such as police work, agriculture, entertainment, and therapy.

Civilization and Culture

Major Language Groups and Dialects

They communicate in various ways, including vocalizations such as nickering or whinnying, mutual grooming, and body-language.

History

It is said that the Uberphishtaurs were the first slave-race made by the Old Folk on their home before they came to Heimland. The race was supposedly made to provide transport and cheap labor. Uberphishtaurs were historically used in warfare, from which a wide variety of riding and driving techniques developed, using many different styles of equipment and methods of control.

Scientific Name

Homo-Equus

Origin/Ancestry

Mixture of Equus-ferus-ferus and Equus-ferus-caballus.

Lifespan

+1000 years

Conservation Status

Although common, Uberphishtaurs may fall prey to native predators where they live, such as wolves, cougars and spotted hyenas.

Average Height

Uberphishtaurs range in height from 14 hands (56 inches, 142 cm), 15.2 hands (62 inches, 157 cm), 17 hands (68 inches, 173 cm), 16 hands (64 inches, 163 cm) or 18 hands (72 inches, 183 cm).

Average Weight

380 to 550 kilograms (840 to 1,210 lb) males.
500 to 600 kilograms (1,100 to 1,320 lb) females.

Average Physique

Impressive

Body Tint, Colouring and Marking

Chestnut-brown, charcoal-black, ivory-white, sage-grey, fiery-crimson.

Related Ethnicities

• Ethnicities of Heimland