Getting to know the horse
GETTING TO KNOW THE HORSE
The horse, along with its kinsmen donkey and zebra, belong to a family of mammals called “Equidae” and have only one hoof on each foot.
All members of this family feed on grass and shrubs, live outdoors and can run (gallop) very quickly to escape predators. They are very social animals and live in family groups, forming a herd. They can travel long distances in search of food and water.
While there are over 150 breeds of horses that differ greatly in size, colour, character and temperament, all horses belong to a single species the “Equus Caballus”.
The sweet and beloved “Pony” refers to a horse which has a height 1.48m from the highest point of its withers, while the tiniest of ponies measure only 65-75cm tall.
HOW WE GOT TO THE HORSE WE KNOW TODAY & SOME ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THIS WONDERFUL ANIMAL.
It’s hard to believe that it actually took 55 million years to get to the “Horse” we know and love today.
Its first ancestor was called “Hyracotherium” or “Eohippus”. This animal was a little larger than a rabbit and fed with leaves, buds, and berries. Surprisingly, it had four hooves on its front legs and three on each hind leg. It lived in the wooden areas of North America, Europe, and East Asia. After millions of years the hooves became three on each leg and eventually one.
Some 20 million years ago, grasslands began to gradually replace forests, so the next natural step of evolution was to grow longer limbs to become faster, in order to escape predators and cover longer distances to find food.
The modern “Horse” (Equus) appeared 2 million years ago.
It possesses a much more developed vision, hearing and sense of smell than us, while it’s an affectionate animal with the other members of its herd. When a person develops the necessary bond with their horse, that dedication and affection is transferred generously to their owner.
The Horse is designed to cover long distances with speed and durability. Its skull is long enough to fit the 40 large teeth needed to chew its food, and the eyes are high on the skull to ensure panoramic vision. A colt (the baby of the horse, so called until roughly the age of 3), is first born without teeth, then grows a temporary set and eventually permanent dentition. Over the years, teeth are worn down, discoloured, and change shape.
The hooves of the horse consist of keratin, which is a structural fibrous protein present in our nails and hair; As such, they can be cut without causing discomfort to the horse. They are worn down according to the terrain the horse lives in and harden in accordance with their living requirements. Domestic horses are usually shoed to protect the hoof from uneven wear, tear, and potential problems that may arise.
The gestation period of the mare (the female horse) lasts 11 months, whilst they mate with the males a few days after giving birth. The colt can stand on its feet within an hour after being born and is naturally strong enough to follow the herd in its frequent translocations. The mother nurses it for about a year but it will usually start grazing a couple of weeks down the line.
THE HORSE’S EVOLUTION
There is no reliable document to prove that the Horse was tamed earlier than 6,000 years ago when we had the first indications from Ukraine mentioning the grazing of horses and cattle at the time.
Officially, we could state that horses were first tamed around 4,500 BC. The first two horse breeds reported to have been officially domesticated are the “Tarpan” in Eurasia, and the “Przewalski” in Mongolia.
It is important to know that horses were not initially ridden but that their use was limited to drawing farming carts, chariots, and carriages.
As the maintenance of luxurious carriages drawn by impressive horses cost a great deal of money, it was not long before horses were seen as a symbol of power that kings used in processions, battles and hunting. Horses and carriages were highly thought of, in the same manner as owning a car is perceived today.
Aside from the abovementioned purposes, horse-drawn carriages were also used for recreational entertainment as chariot racing was a staple event in designated arenas in Ancient Greece and Rome.
References to horse riding and the use of horses as a primary means of transport were first made by Homer around 3,000 BC, whilst they became the dominant means of transport from 1,000 BC onwards. Of course, when saddles and stirrups were popularized (almost 2,000 years later), horses became even more important in war and sports.
The reality is that the history of mankind would certainly be different without horses! All civilizations would have been established and developed solely in their homeland, and thus people would not have travelled, explored, or conquered new lands.
A MILESTONE IN HISTORY
Perhaps the greatest “milestone” and focal point in the history of equitation and domestication of horses, is the invention of the saddle, stirrups, and reins.
It is essential to know that reins were originally invented because people had to somehow be able to hold on to and control horses even in a rudimentary manner. 
Thus, the very first reins were made with various kinds of ropes and leather or even bones which were placed in the horse’s mouth in an attempt to have as good of a control as possible. The first reports of these “prospective” reins come from Kazakhstan around 5500 BC. Their final shape, or rather the closest to their known present shape, dates to 1000 BC, created by nomads in the Black Sea region.
References to horse riding and the use of horses as a primary means of transport were first made by Homer around 3,000 BC, whilst they became the dominant means of transport from 1,000 BC onwards. Of course, when saddles and stirrups were popularized (almost 2,000 years later), horses became even more important in war and sports.
The first saddles appeared around 700 BCE at the Assyrian cavalries. Clearly it was not like the saddle that comes to mind, but rather something that resembled a blanket along with some kind of attachment that tied it to the horse. After several years of gradual improvements, it came to be the saddle we know today. It now consists of a proper skeleton (“saddle tree” in formal terminology) on which all the necessary components are adjusted.
The most ESSENTIAL of components, of course, being the stirrup (since the horseman could be far more stable, and therefore safer), invented around 200 BC. Opinions may vary on its origin’s whereabouts, but it seems that it was first invented in India and later developed in Mongolia and China.
HORSE BREEDS & THEIR PURPOSE
Each country has its own horse breeds, which have been adapted to and utilized according to the characteristics and specificities of each region.
We could say that the various horse breeds can be divided into three categories.
The first are the so-called “warmbloods” or “thoroughbreds”. That of course does not mean that they have “warmer blood”; they were simply named like that because they descend from tribes present in warm countries in North Africa and Arabia.
Then we have the “cold-blooded” horses which in turn come from the cold northern climates and are large, strong, and heavy horses used in draft and agricultural work.
And then there are the “half-blood” or “half-breed” horses, which are a mix of the first two categories. This group includes most sport horses, with the exception of racehorses where “thoroughbreds” are typically preferred.
An honourable mention of the horse’s significant presence during warfare should also be made. It goes without saying that by drawing carts, people could move faster, carry larger and heavier military equipment, and thus be able to cause more damage to the enemy.
Since the times of the mounted soldiers (cavalry) of Alexander the Great, the Horse played a large role in all wars until World War I, where it was gradually replaced by motor vehicles.
Indeed, a multitude of important and beyond necessary tasks such as logging, harvest, threshing, transportation of people, goods, and mail, pumping water from wells etc. could not have been performed with the same success had the Horse not taken centre stage. Even our sweet Ponies had undertaken the transportation of charcoal from underground tunnels. Available anytime and anywhere, horses have been our right hand, and have helped us reach the point we are at now as human beings. Although there are very few places in the world where horses have not been replaced by engines and machines, engine power is still measured in “horsepower” units!!!
EPILOGUE
It’s no coincidence that we love this beautiful and impressive animal so much.
Now of course, many more animals are just as impressive and beautiful, or even more so. But the Horse is what will make our heart swoon and overwhelm us with the sweetest of feelings; and there’s a reason for that. Nothing in this attraction is accidental. Whether we forget about it, or don’t reminisce it as often as we should, the Horse is deeply rooted in each of our sweet memories and in all our childhood years (and not only).
Can we possibly imagine the era of knighthood, with all of our beloved knights, without horses????
The answer is clearly NO! Can we imagine the English Police without its mounted policemen???? Also, a big NO. How about all the cowboys and Native Americans without cavalry and horses?? An answer to that is not even necessary!
Let’s s not just mention foreign cultures though; let’s take a look at the Greek civilization (and brightest of all) in relation to horses. Who among us has not prided themselves on Alexander the Great and Bucephalus? And of course, who did not identify with Bellerophon and Perseus who rode towards their victories on the mythical Pegasus?