Horses were first used to pull chariots into battle around 1500 BCE, but people did not start riding into battle on horseback until 900 BCE. While the Greeks were not the first to ride on a horse, Alexander the Great used this tactic in his military campaigns much more than Read more…
The last European wild horse died out as late as in 1909. Before that, wild horses roamed through most of Europe’s ecosystems, from deserts, steppes and savannahs to deep forests and high mountains. It was exterminated and domesticated by our ancestors. Where in Europe did horses originate? The modern horse Read more…
Spanish horses were instrumental in the conquest of the New World. Neither the Aztec nor the Inca had ever seen humans riding animals before; the psychological impact of mounted troops was tremendous. What did the Incas think of horses? The horse played an especially integral role in the Spanish conquest Read more…
Even back in medieval days, pilgrims would routinely travel 10 to 20 miles in a given day. If there was a pressing need, they could go even further, if there was a well maintained road to travel on. Horses walk between 3-5 miles an hour. Horses could travel 40 miles Read more…
Travel on horseback, with a spare horse: 40-60 km, 25-37 miles. (200-300 km, 125-185 miles per week) How fast did medieval horses travel? A horse could travel up to 40 to 60 miles a day before requiring a rest, whereas a cart pulled by oxen (depending upon the weight of Read more…
How much does an Azteca horse cost? If you plan to buy a young Azteca horse, they can cost as low as a few thousand dollars. The more trained an Azteca horse is, the higher the cost, with them usually selling for about $10,000 or more. How much is an Read more…
No horse is native to sub-Saharan Africa. The Namib Desert Horse is considered an exotic species. But, because the feral horses have become such an iconic feature (and major attraction) of the location, they’ve been allowed to remain an undisturbed part of the sparse Namib wilderness. Are horses originally from Read more…
Horses are thoguth to have arrived in South America about 3 million years ago, making their way across the isthmus of Panama from North America. But its population dwindled and it became extinct about 10,000 years ago – about the same time humans are believed to have settled South America. Read more…
Equus scotti was one of the last of the native North American horses and had a wide distribution over the continent. It probably preferred grasslands, open wetlands, and open woodlands. Fossils of this horse first appeared approximately 2 million years ago and went extinct by 10,000 years ago. What happened Read more…
Because of the Bering Ice Bridge, it’s theorized that some horses were able to cross into Europe and Asia before their disappearance in North America. The reasons for this North American extinction are still unclear, but there is evidence pointing to a few culprits: humans and climate change. Why did Read more…