Sleepy History - Horses

Episode Date: March 30, 2025

Horses—majestic, powerful, and deeply woven into the fabric of human history. From wild herds roaming ancient plains to their role in shaping civilizations, horses have carried us through battles, journeys, and everyday life. How did this bond between humans and horses begin, and how has it evolved over time? Tonight, trot through the fascinating history, symbolism, and legacy of the horse, as its timeless story gently carries you into a peaceful and restful sleep.Narrated by: Arif HodzicWritten by: Alexandra TurneyAbout Sleepy History Delve into history's most intriguing stories, people, places, events, and mysteries, delivered in a supremely calming atmosphere. If you struggle to fall asleep and you have a curious mind, Sleepy History is the perfect bedtime companion. Our stories will gently grasp your attention, pulling your mind away from any racing thoughts, making room for the soothing music and calming narration to guide you into a peaceful sleep. Want to enjoy Sleepy History ad-free? Start your 7-day free trial of Sleepy History Premium: https://sleepyhistory.supercast.com/Have feedback or an episode request? Let us know at: slumberstudios.com/contactSleepy History is a production of Slumber Studios. To learn more, visit www.slumberstudios.com.

This is Sleepy History. Sleepy History is a production of Slumber Studios. To listen ad-free, get access to bonus episodes, and support the ongoing production of this show, check out our premium feed. This is The Sleepy History of Horses, narrated by Arif Hantzik, written by Alexandra Turney. Along with dogs and cats, they're some of our closest companions. Since their domestication several thousands of years ago, horses have helped us to work, travel, and wage war. We've learned how to ride them, turning equestrianism into an art form. And in turn, horses have learned to understand us.

From their origins in North America millions of years ago, we'll trace the history of horses and their special relationship with humans. Along the way, we'll uncover some fascinating stories. So just relax and let your mind drift as we explore the sleepy history of horses. In the hills of southwestern France is a cave known as Pêche Meryl. It's home to some of the most evocative prehistoric artworks, including a painting known as the Dabbled Horses. These exotic-looking horses have black spots, a bit like a leopard,

and they were painted around 25,000 years ago. For some time, it was unclear what these horses were – a real animal or a fantasy creature. But then DNA studies revealed that during the Ice Age, spotted horses did indeed roam the land, creatures with white bodies and backspots. So, these ancient artists were most likely taking inspiration from life, depicting the horses that lived in the area. Horses are said to be the most commonly depicted animal in cave paintings. It seems that our fascination goes way back, long before we domesticated horses and learned how to ride them.

At the time of Peshmeril cave paintings, 25,000 years ago, horses were still wild animals. Horses were still wild animals. It's likely that our ancestors just watched them from afar, sometimes hunting them for food. Soon, we'll look at how that changed, how horses became our trusted companions and an indispensable part of human civilization. But first, let's go further back in time to answer another intriguing question. Where did horses come from? About 55 million years ago lived a creature called the Hyracotherium.

It was very small, about the size of a fox, and it had toes rather than hooves. But it's believed to be the earliest member of the equidae family, which includes horses. Hyrrachotherium isn't the catchiest name. The creature became better known as Eohippus, or Dawn Horse. It lived in North America for millions of years, where its descendants gradually evolved in order to adapt to the changing climate. As the habitat became cooler and drier, and grasslands appeared, descendants of Eohippus adapted accordingly. Over millions of years, they became larger, with longer legs. And their teeth changed, too, allowing them to chew rough grass.

changed, too, allowing them to chew rough grass. These creatures continued evolving, gradually becoming bigger, stronger, and fester. They were able to thrive on the grassy plains of North America and escape predators. Then, about four million years ago, Equus appeared, the same genus that the modern horse belongs to. By this point, the animal had become a monodactyl with a single toe or hoof. This helped it to move quickly and efficiently across the grasslands. It also had a long head and a large, heavy body, similar to the horses of today. With Equus, there was another important development. Its descendants traveled beyond North America. And unlike other horse ancestors, which migrated but then became extinct. Equus thrived.

Some horses traveled to South America, while others walked to Europe, Asia, and Africa. As strange as that may sound, it was possible back in the day. About two and a half million years ago, horses traveled from North America to other parts of the world via the Bering Land Bridge. This was a vast stretch of land, about 1,000 miles across, that connected Alaska and Asia. With the end of the Ice Age and the melting of the glaciers, sea levels rose, and the

bridge became submerged. But by then, plenty of horses had already crossed over, and were spreading all over the continent. Now, there was no stopping them. They continued to flourish flourish and diversify, leading to the appearance of donkeys and zebras. Back in North America, however, it was a different story. Here, horses actually went extinct for thousands of years. went extinct for thousands of years. At the end of the Pleistocene, approximately 11,000 years ago, horses disappeared in North America. They vanished from the archaeological record. This was probably caused by a combination of factors. The end of the Ice Age led to changes in horses' habitat. Grasslands were replaced by different kinds of environments, such as forest and tundra, so food was harder to come by.

At the same time, there was an increase in the number of bison in North America, which meant more competition for food. And then there were the humans. For the people living in North America at the time, horses were a valuable source of food. Already struggling, it's possible that horses were then hunted into extinction. They wouldn't return to North America until the late 15th century, with the arrival of European settlers. So, to understand how horses became domesticated, we need to turn our attention to another part of the world. As we've mentioned previously, horses thrived in Europe and Asia.

But for thousands of years, they were wild animals. For humans, little more than a source of food. Until recently, the domestication of horses was something of a mystery, due to the lack of evidence. But from recent scientific research, we know that there was an important development in southwestern Russia a few thousand years ago. In fact, scientists believe they've identified the ancestor of the modern horse. Studies of DNA samples from archaeological sites revealed significant changes in horse genomes about 4,200 years ago. These changes took place in a region known as the Pontic-Caspian steppe. Today, this area stretches across numerous countries,

including southern Russia, Ukraine, and Kazakhstan. In ancient times, this area was home to horses, and the tribes of nomads who gradually domesticated them. From the DNA studies, researchers discovered intriguing genetic changes in horses in this region. It seems that over time, horses' backs became stronger. This would have allowed them to bear the weight of riders more easily and carry loads. Also, there was a shift in horses' brain chemistry. They became more docile and thus easier to ride and handle. These strong, good-natured horses proved to be popular.

And because of the nomadic steppe people who bred them, within just a few hundred years, the horses had spread all over the continent. Just like dogs, horses were bred for their desired characteristics, changing over time to suit human needs and preferences. But consider the fact that dogs were domesticated at least 14,000 years ago, and possibly much earlier. Other animals, such as cats, pigs, and cattle, were also domesticated long before horses. cattle were also domesticated long before horses. So, considering that horses had existed in some form or other for millions of years, and that humans had been domesticating animals for several thousands of years, horse domestication is a relatively recent event. So why did it take us so long?

Given their huge size and the temperament of wild horses, taming these creatures probably seemed like a daunting task. Seeming these creatures probably seemed like a daunting task. Perhaps we needed a bit of time and the experience of domesticating easier animals, like pigs and cows, before we progressed to horses. But then, once humans had successfully domesticated horses, it opened up a whole new world. These days, it's easy to forget just how essential horses once were. They helped us to work, farm, and travel. Inevitably, horses became a symbol of wealth and status. If you owned a horse and knew how to ride it, you were doing well in life.

And with enough horses, you were on your way to having a cavalry, and maybe even creating an empire. Of course, just as domestication was a slow and gradual process, it took time for humans to master horsemanship. Before the invention of the saddle, horseback riding would have been difficult and uncomfortable for both horse and rider. It seems likely that horses were being ridden in Kazakhstan around 3500 BCE. As horse skulls suggest, they had worn some kind of bit. But the oldest saddle that we know of, one found in a tomb in China,

dates back to the 8th century BCE at the earliest. That's quite recent. So, in the early days of horse domestication, it seems unlikely that horseback riding was widespread. Perhaps the expert horsemen living on the steppes were comfortable with riding bareback, or with the most rudimentary equipment. But back then, the average person probably wasn't whizzing around on horseback. In which case, what about carriages or chariots? There's some debate about the first horse-drawn carriage or chariot, but an early example was found in a gravesite in southern Russia.

Around 2000 BCE, some people from the Sintashta culture were buried alongside their horses and chariots. It's a fascinating finding for a couple of reasons. First, it shows us how important both horses and chariots were to these people. They were buried not just with weapons and ornaments, but also with their chariots, while their horses were sacrificed and buried nearby. Horse sacrifice used to be common in this part of the world, and in part, common in this part of the world, and in part, it's an indicator of how much the animals were valued. The ritual may have been inspired by spiritual beliefs. Perhaps the horse was supposed to accompany the deceased person to the afterlife. Additionally, in some cultures,

horse sacrifice was a sign of wealth and status. Only the most affluent and high-ranking members society could afford to give up a horse. As for the chariots, they may have been buried for similar reasons – as an indicator of status or as transportation into the afterlife or both. But the presence of these chariots also raises another question. Pre-burial, what were they used for? Warfare is one possibility, but according to some experts, they may have been used for chariot racing, inspired by Rig Veda, a 3000-year-old religious text. Chariots and chariot races feature prominently in the Rig Veda and are associated with gods and heroes.

This symbolism can be seen in other cultures too. Just think of the chariots of the pharaohs in ancient Egypt, or the Greek god Apollo, who was believed to soar across the sky in his horse-drawn chariot. Chariots were also used in battle by warriors, most notably the Hittites. But over time, the vehicles became more ceremonial. time, the vehicles became more ceremonial. It soon became clear that riding a horse, rather than a chariot, was the key to military success. During the first millennium BCE, riding technology improved. The saddle, and later the stirrup, became widespread, and some cultures mastered the

art of horse riding. With a strong cavalry, a civilization could defend itself, wage war, and expand its territory. Early examples include the Assyrians and the nomadic Scythians, who were renowned for their prowess on horseback. Then there were the Persians, who began to use heavy cavalry. Both horses and riders were heavily armored, and this style of warfare likely encouraged the breeding of bigger, stronger horses. These animals were valuable and sometimes expensive, both to buy and maintain. The ancient Greeks, for example, did use horses in battle, but not extensively, in part because

of the cost. In ancient China, during the Han Dynasty, horses were seen as being so valuable that they were worth fighting for. This led to the military conflict known as the War of the Heavenly Horses. Subsequently, Chinese rulers used horses not only to protect their land from nomadic invaders, but also to expand their empire westward. This resulted in the securing of new territories and the opening of one of the most important trade routes of all time – the Silk Road. To a great extent, it was horses that made all this possible.

And later, in the 13th and 14th centuries, horses would facilitate the spread of another empire. The Mongol Empire was enormous. At times, it covered all of modern-day China and Mongolia, as well as large parts of Russia, Iraq, and many other regions across Asia and Europe. The Mongol Empire owed its success to multiple factors, including the leadership of Genghis Khan. He was an unstoppable force, uniting nomadic tribes and bulldozing his way across the continent. And that brings us to the not-so-secret weapon of the Mongol army, the horse. The Mongols were a nomadic people.

Horse-riding was a part of their everyday life. So, when it came to battle, they had an advantage. came to battle, they had an advantage. Plenty of experience and a seemingly endless supply of horses. It's been estimated that each Mongol soldier had around four horses. When one horse got tired, the soldier would switch to another, then the next. They could keep going, covering huge distances in a day. Mongol horses were strong, agile, and resilient. They were also able to withstand harsh conditions and get by on relatively little food and water. And Mongol soldiers were similarly tough, with impressive military skills.

Together, they made a formidable team. Genghis Khan apparently once said, It is easy to conquer the world from the back of a horse. And indeed, the Mongols almost made it look easy. The relationship between nomadic peoples like the Mongols and their horses was truly something special. Given the long history of horses in this region, it's no wonder that the animals became essential to warfare.

But for centuries, horses were used in battle in almost every part of the world, from the fields of Europe to the Sahara Desert. If you think of almost any famous battle throughout history, right up to the First World War, it's almost certain that horses were involved. If not for cavalries, then for the transportation of troops and supplies. And of course, all the while, horses were being used in other ways, too. They weren't just for warfare. In some cultures, horse riding was seen not just as a practical skill, but an art in itself, reflecting both discipline and grace.

It was an art form that largely originated on the battlefield. Soldiers were inspired to come up with new guidance for horse riding, sets of rules that would evolve over the years. One of the oldest surviving rule books was written by Xenophon, a Greek military leader and philosopher who lived in the 4th century BCE. Among his many works is a treatise known as On Horsemanship. In this text, Xenophon covers all the different aspects of horsemanship, how to break a colt and the correct way to bridle a horse, as well as advanced techniques for parades and battles.

When it comes to dealing with a nervous animal, Xenophon recommends a gentle approach. The golden rule, he says, is never to approach a horse angrily. He writes, When the horse is shy of something and won't go near it, teach him that there is nothing to be afraid of, either with the help of a brave horse or else by touching the object yourself and gently leading the horse towards it. Xenophon's guide to horsemanship was influential. Some of his suggestions, such as what to look out for when selecting a young horse, align with modern practices. However, over the years, there have also been some questionable approaches to horse training. Federico Gressone was a nobleman from Naples who lived in the 16th century. While he was admired for his mastery over horses,

some of his training methods seem eccentric or even cruel. methods seem eccentric or even cruel. For instance, if the horse was acting up, Grisoni recommended punishing him with the horrible voice and calling the horse names such as traitor or villain. We won't go into detail about his other methods, but even Grisonne himself had to admit that they were a last resort, and that a skilled rider should be able to get results by other means. Thankfully, harsh approaches to horse training fell out of favor over the years. Across Europe, trainers turned disciplined riding into an art form, and then a sport. It became known as dressage. The goal is for the horse to work in harmony with the rider, while showing the highest

level of obedience. They're assessed on how well they perform certain movements, such as the canter pirouette, and given a score. The competitive sport is based on classical dressage, a form of horse riding that originated in military practices and training methods. Classical dressage is extremely disciplined. At its highest level, known as haute école, the horse and rider perform jumps, known as airs above the ground. One of the most challenging jumps is the capriole. The horse jumps into the air, kicking out with its hind legs, then lands on all four legs more or less at the same time.

It's an impressive feat, demonstrating the skill of both horse and rider. In Europe, there's a long history of this kind of horse riding. The most famous academy is the Spanish Riding School in Vienna, established in the late 16th century, where training continues to this day. Dressed in smart, old-fashioned uniforms, including buckskin breeches and bicorn hats, riders put on dazzlingly disciplined performances to a soundtrack of classical music. The goal of classical dressage is to harness the horse's natural abilities, training it to perform with grace, athleticism, and precision.

Dressage is an example of horse riding at its most sophisticated, horse and rider working together to achieve peak performance. There's certainly something awe-inspiring about the elegance of dressage. But of course, horses are capable of even more. Not just carefully choreographed movements, but also incredible speeds. And historically, the thrill of the race has been the more popular form of entertainment. In ancient Greece, there were spectacular horse-drawn chariot races, sometimes involving as many as 60 chariots on the same track. Crashes could be catastrophic, but the risk was part of the excitement. Chariot races drew huge crowds. The Circus Maximus, a stadium in ancient Rome, could hold more than 150,000 spectators who came to cheer on their team.

As spectator sports, chariot racing, and horse racing were the football of their day. In a letter, Pliny the Younger wrote scathingly about the popularity of the races in ancient Rome. There is no novelty, no variety in it, nothing which one wants to see twice. Hence, I am the more amazed that so many thousands of men should be eager, like a pack of children, to see horses running time after time and the charioteers bending over their cars. But Pliny was in the minority. Horse racing was no passing fad, and its popularity endured. From at least the 15th century, as part of the Spring Carnival in Rome, riderless Berber

horses would tear through the city center. Via del Corso, now one of Rome's main shopping streets, is named after this wild race. The tradition was abolished in the 19th century, after the trampling of an unlucky spectator. Indeed, horse racing can be risky for all involved – the horse, rider, and crowd. But it will go down in history as one of the most ancient and popular of all sports, one that's entertained countless people across the world, and made celebrities of both riders and their horses. One of the most famous racehorses of all time was Secretariat. Unbelievably fast, this American racehorse set records in the 1970s and captured the public

imagination. He streaked ahead of his rivals, thanks in part to his remarkable build and a heart that was twice the size of an average horse's heart. Secretariat represented horses at their most magnificent. But in a way, he also seemed to transcend the status of animal, becoming a sports personality, a legend. This is how one racehorse breeder summed up Secretariat. Do you want to know who Secretariat is in human terms? Just imagine the greatest athlete in the world, the greatest.

Now make him 6'3", the perfect height. Make him real intelligent and kind. And on top of that, make him the best looking guy ever to come down the bike. He was all those things as a horse. In the U.S., there are more than 250 streets named after Secretariat, a lot more than for any human athlete. And it has to be said, after all they've done for us over the years, it seems right to honor horses every now and then. As we approach the end of our history of horses, let's take a quick look back for a sense of

how far we've come. Horses originated in North America about four million years ago. They then went extinct for thousands of years, until they were reintroduced by European settlers in the late 15th century. But in the meantime, forces had spread to Europe, Asia, and Africa via the Bering Land Bridge. It's thought that they were first domesticated in the Pontic-Caspian steppe region, which includes parts of modern-day Russia, Ukraine, and Kazakhstan. It was in this region that the ancestor of the modern horse

seems to have first appeared, about 4,200 years ago. Over the following millennia, horses were an indispensable part of human civilization in areas such as warfare and entertainment. and entertainment. So, where does that leave us now? In the past hundred years, horses have become much less visible in everyday life. Some of the reasons for this are fairly obvious, such as improvements in technology and transportation. In many parts of the world, horses no longer serve a practical purpose, or if they do, it's to a lesser extent compared to the past. Additionally, the popularity of horse racing has declined in many regions for a number of reasons.

These include economic factors, competition from other forms of entertainment, and concerns about animal welfare. Of course, in some parts of the world, and especially in rural communities, you'll still see plenty of horses. But most city dwellers rarely encounter a horse, unless it's for a leisure activity. Horse riding as a hobby, for example, or a ride in a horse-drawn carriage. Horses are often reserved for ceremonial occasions, such as weddings and funerals, a sign of their continuing symbolic importance. Still, it's all a little bittersweet.

On the one hand, after all their hard work over the generations, it seems right that horses have a well-deserved rest. On the other hand, it's a shame that this beautiful animal has mostly disappeared from our daily lives. appeared from our daily lives. But just as we formed an unbreakable bond with dogs, the human relationship with horses remains a special one. Animals that have been domesticated are good at understanding human emotions – a skill they've developed over thousands of years. In one study, horses were fitted with heart monitors and shown pictures of men with angry facial expressions.

In response, the horse's heart rates shot up. If you've ever spent time with a horse, that probably doesn't come as a surprise. Like dogs and cats, they pick up on our emotions and react accordingly. So, Xenophon was right when he urged riders to approach their horses calmly and treat them with care. It's the least they deserve, having been our trusted companions for all these years. You might say that human civilization was built on horseback. You You You You You The You You You You You You You You You The you