Short History Of Horses

The earliest mammals that can be considered to be ancestors of the horse appeared about 70 million years ago. They were about the size of a fox. They had 5 toes on each limb and lived in the swamps covering northern hemisphere at that time. As the climate changed, the swamps dried out and ground became firmer. Walking on the five toes which had been an advantage in the swamps became a disadvantage on the dryer grassland. Over millions of years a gradual reduction of the digits occurred. Until the first single toed horse ancestor appeared 10 million years ago in America and from there spread to Asia.

For unknown reason all equids on the American continent disappeared around 12,000 years ago. All horses who live now there go back to the ones brought over by the Spanish Conquistadores.

It seems most likely that first contact between man and horse occurred in Central Asia. but when this first happened will forever remain a mystery. Whatever the exact date, there is no doubt that it marked the beginning of a relationship between horse and man that lasted into present day.

The first documented evidence of horses being ridden comes from China around 3,000 BC (some say 4,000 BC)when mounted warriors were described.

The size, shape and performance of each of today's breeds of horses in the western world are entirely the result of selective breeding by humans. from the largest heavy horse - Belgian - up to 19.5 hands, 1,450 kg to the smallest and lightest - Falabella - 65 cm, all have in one way or another develop from the Asiatic wild horse.