THE INTERNATIONAL MUSEUM
OF THE HORSE
The Legacy of the Horse
Chapter One
A Chronological History of Humans and Their Relationship With the Horse
Table of Contents
58 MILLION B.C. - 450 A.D.
THE FIRST HORSES - ATTILA THE HUN
- THE FIRST HORSES
- Eohippus - 58 Million Years Ago
- Mesohippus - 40 Million Years Ago
- Merychippus - 25 Millions Years Ago
- Pliohippus - 10 Million Years Ago
- EARLY CIVILIZATION,
30,000
- Prehistoric Equine Art
- The Cave Horses Resemble Today's Przewalski Horse
- THE DOMESTICATION
OF THE HORSE B.C.
- The Horse: Prehistoric Prey
- The Horse: Cow of the Steppes
- Pack Animal for a People on the Move
- THE WHEEL
- Early Man Has the Cart Before the Horse
- Horse and Wagon: Speed and Power
- The Yoke, 800 B.C.
- Anatomy of on Ancient Wheel - 1,500 B.C.
- Harnessing the Horse's Power
- Kikulli, 1,350 B.C: "The Care and Feeding of the Chariot
Horse"
- THE RELUCTANT RIDER,
1,350 B.C.
- Early Attempts at Riding
- Early Controling Devices
- The Mysterious Grandeur of the Etruscan Horsemen, 1,000-509
B.C.
- The Sythians: Mastering the Art of War on Horseback - 800 B.C.
- The Horse in China
- THE CLASSICAL WORLD,
700 B.C.
- The Mythical Horse
- Ancient Man Held the Horse in Awe, Placing Equus Among the
Gods
- Poseidon Creates the Horse From the Ocean's Waves
- The Horse-drawn Chariot of the Sun
- The Centaur-Ultimate Horse-Man
- Epona-Protectress of the Horse
- Pegasus, the Winged Horse
- THE HORSES OF
HOMER, 750 B.C.
- The Immortal Horses of Achilles
- XENOPHON: THE
FATHER OF CLASSICAL EQUITATION
- Exerpts From the "Art of Horsemanship"
- ALEXANDER AND
BUCEPHALUS, 356-323 B.C.
- Indomitable Man, Indomitable Horse
- Alexander and Bucephalus Conquer the World
- THE ROMAN
EMPIRE
- THE CIRCUS MAXIMUS
- The Furious Circle of the Ancient Horse Race
- A Day at the Track
- THE ROMAN ROAD
- One of the World's Greatest Engineering Achievements
- Troops and Trade Goods Moved Quickly and Reliably Over the
Roman Roads
- The Earliest Horseshoe
- THE ORIENTAL
HORSE
- The First Stirrups Came From the Orient
- Attila the Hun, 406-453 A.D.
The year 700 B.C. roughly marked a turning point in the use of the
horse. Chariotry declined rapidly as riding improved and mounted
troops increased. The chariot retained its popularity only as a
parade vehicle and for racing, first in Greek sacred games, and later
in the Roman hippodromes. Hunting was now on horseback instead
of chariot. The types of bits reflect the changed use of the horse.
Mouthpieces become more severe, as the braking power of a rider is
limited on a saddleless, stirrupless horse. The bits are often
studded, but studs on cheek pieces are abandoned, since directional
control is more easily obtained on a ridden than on a driven horse.
Cultures of the ancient world evolved various mythologies, bodies of
legend and belief which reflected their values, ideals, and visions of
the past. The presence of the horse is common to many
mythologies. The horse is frequently represented as a powerful,
intelligent, and beautiful creature.
A Roman mosaic of the third century A.D. shows Poseidon, the god
of the sea, and his wife Demeter being drawn across the sea by a
team of "hippocamps." The hippocamp was a horse with
a serpent tail, a symbol of his aquatic heritage. Poseidon was not a
faithful husband, and frequently cavorted about disguised as a
stallion. In this form, he begat Arion, the wild horse who had both
the power of speech and whose front feet were those of a human.
Also in the form of a stallion, Poseidon seduced the Forgon, Medusa,
in the temple of Athene.
Infuriated at this profanity, Athene turned Medusa's hair to snakes.
Later, when Perseus beheaded Medusa, Pegasus sprang from the
blood which gushed from her wound, and Pereus fled on Pegasus'
back.
The horse inspired such awe in ancient man that he often thought of
the horse as the power behind certain natural elements. In India,
ancient gods drove chariots across the sky, some chariots carrying
the sun. In Christianity, devastation was brought to earth by the
Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. A cult object from Trundholm in
Denmark represents the power of the sun itself, with a horse pulling
the light of day across the sky.
The centaur was a magnificent creature who had a body which was
half horse and half man. He was renowned for both extreme
physical strength and great wisdom. Most centaurs were frightful
beasts. However, Chiron was a centaur known everywhere for his
goodness and wisdom. He tutored mortals in proper conduct and
learning. The centaur may have evolved from people who first saw
horses with men on their backs and believed them to be one
creature.
The ancient Gauls worshipped the mythical figure Epona, the
goddess of horses. When the Romans conquered the Gauls, they too
adopted her as the deity of horses and carried her legend
throughout Europe. Epona lovingly protected the horse and stable
and also kept watch over the grooms and carters.
Pegasus was a wild and winged steed who was ultimately tamed by
Bellerophon by using a golden bridle he received in a dream from
Athene. Bellerophon attempted to ride Pegasus to Mount Olympus,
but was thrown back. Pegasus remained on the sacred mountain,
where he carried Zeus's thunderbolts and was ridden by Eos, the
goddess of dawn. Pegasus became a popular subject for artists,
since from under his feet sprang the sacred springs of the muses on
Mount Helicon.
The Iliad by Homer, the blind bard who is the father of
Western literature, is among the oldest literary documents of
western civilization. This great epic poem is the first and most
graphic account of the role of the horse in ancient warfare. We see
horses created by the gods themselves, drawing the chariots of their
masters to glory or to defeat in war and in sport on the plains of
Troy.
When Patroclos, the beloved friend of Achilles, was killed in battle,
funeral games, including chariot races, were held to honor him.
The hero, Achilles, described his horses' sense of loss for the dead
Patroclos:
"You know how much my horses surpass in their speed all
other;
Yes, for they are immortal horses, and Poseidon gave them to Peleus,
my father who in turn gave them into my hands.
But I stay here at the side, and my single footed horses stay
with me;
Such is the high glory of the charioteer they have lost, the gentle
one who so many times anointed their manes with soft olive oil,
after he had washed them in shining water.
Therefore, these two horses stand here and grieve, and their manes
Are swept along the ground as they stand with hearts full of
sorrow."
A central feature of the funeral games of Patroclos was a chariot
race, and Homer has vividly described the great event for posterity.
"Then all held their whips high-lifted above their horses, then
struck with the whip thongs and in words urged their horses onward
into speed. The dust lifting clung beneath the horses' chests like
cloud or a storm whirl. Their manes streamed along the blast of
wind ...and the drivers stood in the chariots, with the spirit beating
in each man with the strain to win, and each was calling aloud upon
his own horses, and the horses flew through the dust of the flat
land...the field of horses strung out, and before long out in front
was the swift-stepping team of the son of Pheres, Eumelos, and after
him the stallions of Diomedes, the Trojan horses, not far behind at
all, but close on him, for they seemed forever on the point of
climbing his chariot and the wind of them was hot on the back and
on the broad shoulders of Eumelos. They lowered their heads and
flew close after him.
Tydeus' son in his rapid course was close on them and he lashed
them always with the whipstroke from the shoulder. His horses still
lifted their feet light and high as they made their swift passage...The
horse came in running hard. Diomedes stopped them in the middle
of where the men were assembled, with the dense sweat starting and
dripping to the ground from neck and chest of his horses. He
himself vaulted down to the ground from his shining chariot and
leaned his whip against the yoke. Nor did strong Sthenelos delay,
but made haste to take up the prizes, and gave the woman to his
high hearted companions to lead away...while Diomedes set free the
horses."
The Greeks left the huge wooden horse behind when they retreated
from the siege of the walls of Troy. Rejoicing at the war's apparent
end, the Trojans brought the wooden horse within the walls of the
city, ignoring the priest Laocoon's warning about Greek's bearing
gifts. That night the Greek warriors within the horse's belly crept
out and opened the gates to renewed attack, and the city fell. A
detail from a seventh century B.C. vase shows the Greek warriors,
rather humorously shown inside the wooden horse, being carried
into the city. Undoubtedly, the Greeks chose the horse for their
devious vehicle, since they knew the Trojans, renowned horsemen,
would have greater respect for the horse than any other animal.
A Greek named Xenophon (430-ca 335 B.C.) wrote the first fully
preserved manual on the riding horse. It is entitled "The Art
of Horsemanship. " Xenophon was a horseman for his entire
life, first as a cavalryman and then as a country gentleman on an
estate given to him by the King of Sparta. Xenophon differs from
other ancient writers on the horse in that he urges his reader to
know the horse's "psyche," its mentality. He knew that
an animal which had confidence in the understanding and good will
of its rider would more effectively respond to the commands of the
rider. Xenophon encouraged a mutual respect between man and
horse.
"When one has bought a horse that he really admires, and has
taken him home, it is a good thing to have his stall in such a part of
the establishment that his master shall very often have an eye on the
animal...the man who neglects this matter is neglecting himself' for
it is plain that in moments of danger the master gives his own life
into the keeping of his horse. A secure stable is a good thing, not
only to prevent the stealing of grain, but also because you can easily
tell when the horse refuses his feed. Observing this, you may know
either that there is too much blood in him, or that he has been
overworked and wants rest, or that barley surfeit or some other
disease is coming on.
The same care which is given to the horse's food and exercise, to
make his body grow strong, should also be devoted to keeping his
feet in condition. Even naturally sound hoofs get spoiled in stalls
with moist, smooth floors. The floors should be sloping to avoid
moisture, and to prevent smoothness, stones should be sunk close
to one another, each about the size of the hoofs. The mere standing
on such floors strengthens the feet."
"When a horse is to be led, I certainly do not approve of
leading him behind you. Then again I object to teaching the horse to
go on ahead with a long leading rein. But a horse that is accustomed
to be led by the side can do the least mischief to other horses and to
men, and would be most convenient and ready for the rider,
especially if he would ever have to mount in a hurry. In order to put
the bridle on properly, the groom should first come up on the near
side of the horse; then, throwing the reins over the head and letting
them drop on the withers, he should take the head piece in his right
hand and offer the bit with his left.
Let your groom be well instructed in the following points: first,
never lead the horse by one rein, for this makes one side of the
mouth harder than the other; secondly, what is the proper distance
of the bit from the corners of the mouth; if too close, it makes the
mouth callous, so that is has no delicacy of feeling; but if the bit
hangs too low down in the mouth, the horse can take it in his teeth
and so refuse to mind it. "
"The one great precept and practice in using a horse is this -
never deal with him when you are in a fit of passion. When your
horse shies at an object and is unwilling to go up to it, he should be
shown that there is nothing fearful in it, least of all to a courageous
horse like him; but if this fails, touch the object yourself that seems
so dreadful to him, and lead him up to it with gentleness.
Compulsion and blows inspire only the more fear; and when horses
are at all hurt at such times, they think what they shied at is the
cause of the hurt."
For further treatises on horses from Xenophon, visit MIT's "Classics" site.
Few legends reveal such a close relationship between man and horse
as that of Alexander the Great and his horse, Bucephalus. Son of
King Philip of Macedonia, Alexander was tutored by Aristotle in
academic matters and studied horsemanship with his father. When
he was twelve years old, Alexander found in his father's herds a
young horse which he admired for its great beauty. The boy named
the horse Bucephalus because his head was broad, like that of a bull.
The horse would not allow anyone to ride him except young
Alexander. The two grew up together and developed a deep bond of
love and respect between them.
Having ridden the seemingly unbreakable Bucephalus, Alexander
was inspired to conquer the world. In his attempt to do so,
Bucephalus carried him from Greece to Egypt and India. When
Bucephalus finally died, Alexander honored the horse by naming a
city in central Asia after him.
Next Chapter - The Middle Ages - The Emergence of Light Cavalry
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