The Horse in History

The author traces the horse's influence from prehistoric domestication through classical antiquity, medieval warfare, and modern breeding, detailing chariots, cavalry, and notable animals from myth and history. He examines how horse culture shaped military tactics, trade, and social ritual, drawing on sources such as Xenophon, Herodotus, and later chroniclers while noting difficulties separating fact from legend. Medieval and early modern chapters cover royal studs, fairs, the rise of racing and the Thoroughbred, famous mounts in campaigns and court life, and techniques of horsemanship and training. The book concludes by charting breed developments, the importation of Oriental bloodlines, celebrated individual horses, and the species' gradual displacement by mechanized transport.