#EquineHistory folks! As a non-expert, I understood Arabian horses to be first imported to England in 1616 (by James I). In a 1529 court record, a testator bequeaths his son 'his half arabbe' as well as some land and some fattes (poss. tanning vats). Is this ref to a horse or something else?
"new research revolutionizes our understanding of horses": Horse proteins found ancient cooking pots in Sicily. Really? Native horses abounded in Europe until around the 2nd millennium BCE. Why would bronze age fette di cavallo surprise anyone?
#equinehistory #ancienteurope
The horse came to China from the west. The ancient Chinese word for horse "mra" (reconstructed form) recalls English "mare", and ancient Germanic/Celtic "marko". But why is our word female? As with "cow" we often name domesticates for the female. (source, Victor Mair, Language Log).
#equinehistory
What happened to "L'Ami", the horse ridden by Alexander I of Russia during his triumphant entry into Paris in 1814? This, and many other unexpected horse stories, came up during my coffee with Jean-Louis Gouraud, one of Europe's greatest gurus on horses and horsemanship.
#equinehistory,
The earliest act of selective breeding -- identifying calm horses. Maybe if you have been thrown from a horse you wonder if we ever managed to do this. But then try riding a zebra. Scientists identify the FPM1 gene as the critical, first step towards domestication. #equinehistory, #genetics
Not only did scientist find the gene responsible for for rideability, but now genetic-engineers are using CRISPR to insert speed genes in Argentine polo ponies. They will sell for 800,000 USD? My college poney, retired from professional competition was blind in one eye.
#equinehistory, #polo
Raiders, Rulers, and Traders: The Horse and the Rise of Empires
David Chaffetz
newbooksnetwork.com/raiders-rule... #equinehistory #skystorians #centralasianhistory
Scientists isolated the gene that made horses rideable. It's rare that a single gene is responsible for a complex adaptation: the GSDMC gene made stronger backs and legs, and better coordination. Selective breeding increased the frequency of this gene from 1% to 100% with 200 years.
#equinehistory
Researching Raiders, Rulers, and Traders, I learned that many European states were created by steppe horsemen. Hungary, obviously. But Bulgaria is another significant example. A new book by Eric Halsey explains how steppe horsemen created Bulgaria
#steppehistory, #equinehistory, #bulgarianhistory
Here's a written interview about Raiders by "Meet the Professor". It's a good summary of the book, and some of the insights I developed since writing it.
#equinehistory, #horses, #ancienthistory, #steppehistory
www.sociologygroup.com/raiders-rule...
Imperial Russia sent Gustav Mannerheim across the Silk Road to China. What did he find in Kirghizstan? Horses and a horse market.
#silkroad, #equinehistory
Why does this paper not attribute the rapid spread of Zoonotic diseases to the obvious candidate, the horse?
#equinehistory #domestication #endemicdiseases
phys.org/news/2025-08...
It's significant that while the connection between humans and horses started much later in North America compared to Eurasia, the same deep, sacred bond emerged. #equinehistory, #horsesinamerica, #nativesmericans
centerofthewest.org/2025/08/11/t...
To eat or not to eat? This question is answered in Raiders, Rulers, and Traders.
#steppehistory, #hippophagy, #equinehistory
www.washingtonpost.com/food/2025/08...
Patrick Wyman of Wondery gives a deep reading of Raiders in this punchy podcast. He knows a lot about ancient humans and animals.
#steppehistory, #domestication, #equinehistory
wondery.com/shows/tides-...
https://kyhistory.com/digital/collection/MS/id/28021/rec/2
168 years ago, Richard Ten Broeck sold the horse Lexington for $15K. Most expensive USA equine sale at the time. Bought by Robert Alexander, owner of Woodburn Farm in Woodford Co. Had 238 winning offspring with 84 classified as “top class.” #76for250 #America250KY #equinehistory
Mark your calendars for September 26 - 28! #EqHist2025 #HorseSenseAndSensibility #EquineHistory #HorseHistory #AndBurros #WhatAboutMules #ZebrasToo #Horsestorians #AcademicsWithHorses #AnimalHistory
Spent a lovely evening with the West Wicklow Historical Society, speaking about the #history of the horse in Co. #Wicklow
#equinehistory
A surgeon of the Army Veterinary Corps preforms surgery on a horse under chloroform at No. 5 Veterinary Hospital; Abbeville, 3 March 1916 #WW1 #FirstWorldWar #EquineHistory
📸IWM Q560
Born into slavery, William Walker was one of the leading jockeys in the late nineteenth century. He competed in 4 Kentucky Derbies, winning in 1877 upon Baden-Baden. Check out his bridle rosette (2011.153.2) and tintype photo (SC 1246) in the KHS collections. #BlackHistory #equinehistory #kyhistory
"How did the nomad #Mongols have war horses when they were so hard/expensive to keep? https://redd.it/4ifrqc #EquineHistory"
"Did people think mistreating horses was animal abuse in Early Modern Europe? https://redd.it/4hqd6j #AnimalHistory #EquineHistory"
