HORSES IN HISTORY

Every breed of horse from the largest draft horses to the smallest ponies are descendants of the wild primitive horses of Asia. In terms of size and build, these horses resembled the Przewalski horse and they changed very little from the Ice Age to the Iron Age. Other breeds of horses were pushed south, domesticated by humans and bred for a variety of uses. Larger breeds were required to pull chariots in battle, so they were selectively bred for size. In the harsh conditions of the Middle East and North Africa, strength and endurance were essential and so these factors played an important role in the development of the horses bred by the nomadic Bedouins and Arabs. The Bedouins played a crucial part in the development and advance of the Arabian breed. They were careful to keep the fastest and most durable mares and used these mares to breed with the best looking stallions. Larger horses were required for transportation in the Middle Ages, especially for carrying knights clad in heavy armor. Even though harnesses were used for the first time in the 11th century so that horses could pull carriages more effectively, they were not utilized in agriculture until the industrial revolution. This spurred demand for advances in harnesses and horsepower for farming equipment, which was something only the heavier draft horses could provide. For the last 200 years, cold-blooded horses developed heavy breeds.

TURKS AND HORSES

The Turks are known as one of the societies that excelled at raising and riding horses. They roamed the vast steppes on horseback, crossing high mountain ranges and broad rivers while waging war and conquering thanks to the horses that carried them. It was the Turks who domesticated these animals and learned to utilize them.

Any review of the history of horse breeding, which has played a crucial role in the history of mankind and is the cornerstone of animal husbandry, must begin in Central Asia. The domestication of various breeds of horses and employing them to serve humans is considered a turning point in history

The Turks utilized horses both as an economic asset and as a vehicle for battle and transportation. Ever since the beginning of recorded history, the political, religious, economic and social life of the Turk has revolved around horses. Turks ate the meat of the horses they raised, made kımız, the national drink, from its milk, offered horses as sacrifices and exported them to foreign countries as a source of income. For the Turks, horses were more important for their use in battle than they were economically. The Turks were the first people to develop the military tactics of a cavalry. All of the European peoples and especially the Chinese learned to ride horses from the Turks.