The top-level domain (TLD) “.horse” is a sponsored, specialized and relatively unconventional TLD related to the equine industry. It operates much like a .com or .net, but it is more industry-specific. It was introduced as part of ICANN (Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers) program to expand the current TLD system.
TLDs are part of the domain name system (DNS), which essentially translates IP addresses into human-readable names, making it easier for people to find and access websites. The last segment of a domain name, after the final dot, is the TLD – in this case, “.horse”.
The TLD “.HORSE” was delegated by ICANN on March 21, 2014, to Top Level Domain Holdings Limited. It is intended for use by horse-related businesses, breeders, owners, trainers, riders, and any individual or business related to the equine industry.
The purpose of the “.horse” TLD is to provide a dedicated domain space where individuals, companies and organizations can share their passion for horses in an easier and more coordinated way. Additionally, this better-targeted search could lead to better SEO (Search Engine Optimization) results for businesses in the equine industry.
For instance, a horse training business could use www.nameofbusiness.horse, or a competition online platform dedicated to horse racing could be www.horseracing.horse.
The use of the “.horse” TLD is subject to domain registration rules and guidelines as outlined by ICANN and Top Level Domain Holdings Limited. These rules can encompass a range of factors, from the length and composition of the domain name to prohibitions on certain language.
As with all TLDs there are potential drawbacks. Because “.horse” is not a widely used TLD, many internet users may not recognize or trust it.
As for the technical aspects of TLDs like “.horse”, just like any other TLD they are stored in the root zone database of the domain’s DNS server. DNS servers are then responsible for directing internet traffic to the correct IP address associated with that domain name.
Sources:
1. ICANN – The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers: https://icann.org.
2. IANA – .HORSE Delegation Record: https://www.iana.org/domains/root/db/horse.html.
3. Top Level Domain Holdings Limited: http://www.tldh.org/.
4. United Domains: https://www.uniteddomains.com/domain/search/horse.
5. WHOIS database: https://lookup.icann.org/.
6. ICANN Domain Name Registration Data (WHOIS) Policies: https://whois.icann.org/en/policies.
