Re: Equids

Kathleen Hunt (jespah@u.washington.edu)
24 Dec 1994 01:19:56 GMT

In article <3denej$5jd@shore.shore.net>, whittet <whittet@shore.net> wrote:
>Actually, although the earliest evidence for the domestication of the
>horse consists of bridles from sites in Siberia, circa 6500 BC, there
>is considerable evidence, tooth wear, various bone lesions, that suggests
>the horse was domesticated from at least four places independently.
>
>Horse I, Horse II, Przewalski's Horse and the Tarpan, in Europe, Western
>Asia, Eastern Asia and Siberia. The dominent iron age horse traders
>probably were the Scythians from the Ukraine.
>[...]
>The original 16 Spanish horses were Andalusian chargers, war horses
>designed to carry Conquistadores in full armor. The only other type
>of Spanish horse then used was the Arabian, which was used as a riding horse
>for ladies, and some gentle men perhaps. The horses which the plains
>indians used were much lighter.

Hi --
Have you got references for these? I'm very interested in the
domestication of the horse and would love where you have gotten your info.

I thought the Przewalski's horse had not ever been domesticated. What
are Horse I and Horse II? Are they terms for the proto-Arab desert
horse, or the northern European forest horse?

Finally, I'd be amazed if Spain really only had two types of breeds in
those days. And in case you don't know Arabians are an extremely
demanding breed to ride; perhaps they were used for women because Arabians
are not very tall, but they're certainly not for a "gentle" rider. (Just
to give you an idea, Arabians are variously described as "intelligent,
loyal, and full of life" vs. "crazy, spooky, and difficult to train")

But I'll bounce that topic to those who know more, the people over on
rec.equestrian. There's been an ongoing thread there on the history of
Arabians and Andalusians and I'm sure they can contribute something to
this.

Kathleen

-- 

If we increase the size of the penguin until it is the same height as

the man and then compare the relative brain size, we now find that the

penguin's brain is still smaller.  But, and this is the point, it is 

larger than it *was*.                         (Monty Python)