Domestication of the horse

The domestication of the horse was a major change in human history. Although wild horses appeared in Paleolithic cave art as early as 30,000 BCE, these animals were hunted for food, not kept as pets or helpers. The earliest signs that people were using horses came from tooth wear caused by bits, found in burials in Botai Kazakhstan around 3700–3500 BC. Later, around 2000 BCE, chariot burials showed that horses were clearly used for transportation.

Scientists debate exactly when and where horses were first fully domesticated. Some believe it happened around 3000 BCE in what is now Ukraine and Western Kazakhstan, while others argue it was closer to 2000 BCE. Genetic evidence points to the Volga–Don region in the Pontic–Caspian steppe of eastern Europe around 2200 BCE as a key area.

From there, domesticated horses spread across Eurasia. They were used for travel, farming, and even in warfare. Genetic changes, such as stronger backs and increased docility, may have helped horses become better companions and workers for people. The domestication of horses changed how humans lived and traveled forever.

Background

The exact time and place where horses were first tamed by humans is still a mystery. Some scientists look for changes in the bones of ancient horses to find clues, while others study things like old tools, art, and how people lived. We know that horses were used for food and milk long before they were trained to help with work.

Horses began to be used for travel, farming, and fighting across Eurasia. Early harnesses were not very good at using the horses' full strength, but better designs like the padded horse collar came later.

Predecessors to the domestic horse

Main articles: Evolution of the horse and wild horse

A study looked at the mitochondrial DNA of many types of horses, both old and new. It found that all horses belong to one big family with a single ancestor. This family includes three types: the South American Hippidion, the North American New World stilt-legged horse, and Equus, which is the true horse. The true horse includes ancient horses, Przewalski's horse, and all modern horse breeds. These true horses moved from the Americas to Eurasia through Beringia and spread across many lands.

Horses from the Ice Age were hunted by humans for food. Many types of these old horses died out because of big changes in the climate, especially in North America, where horses disappeared completely. Two wild horse types survived until more recent times: Przewalski's horse and the Tarpan. The Tarpan died out in the late 1800s, and Przewalski's horse was brought back to some areas in Mongolia in the 1990s.

Genetic evidence

See also: History of horse domestication theories

A 2014 study compared DNA from ancient horse bones to modern horses and found 125 genes linked to domestication. Some of these genes affect the horse's muscles, limbs, heart, and balance, while others influence learning, fear, and social behavior, which helped in taming the horses.

Studies of DNA from both mothers and fathers suggest there may have been many domestication events for female horses, called mares. However, male horses, called stallions, show less genetic diversity today, possibly because only a few were originally domesticated. Recent studies suggest that modern domestic horses likely originated in the Volga-Don region of the Pontic–Caspian steppe grasslands of Western Eurasia. These horses spread rapidly across Eurasia around 2000 BCE, possibly because they were better suited for riding and had stronger backs and calmer temperaments.

Archaeological evidence

Archaeological evidence for the domestication of the horse comes from changes in the skeletons and teeth of ancient horses, changes in their geographic distribution, and archaeological sites containing artifacts or evidence of changes in human behavior connected with horses. Examples include horse remains interred in human graves, changes in the ages and sexes of horses killed by humans, the appearance of horse corrals, equipment such as bits or other types of horse tack, and horses interred with equipment intended for use by horses, such as chariots.

The clearest evidence of early use of the horse as a means of transport comes from chariot burials dated around 2000 BCE. The presence of bit wear on horse teeth is an indicator that a horse was ridden or driven, with the earliest such evidence found in a site in Kazakhstan dating to 3700–3500 BCE.

Some of the most intriguing evidence of early domestication comes from the Botai culture in northern Kazakhstan. The Botai people seem to have adopted horseback riding to hunt the abundant wild horses of the region between 3700 and 3500 BCE. Evidence of horseback riding comes from tooth wear caused by a bit. Botai sites had no cattle or sheep bones; the only domesticated animals, in addition to horses, were dogs.

The appearance of horse remains in human settlements in regions where they had not previously been present is another indicator of domestication. Around 3500–3000 BCE, horse bones began to appear more frequently in archaeological sites beyond their center of distribution in the Eurasian steppes.

Methods of domestication

Horses might have survived in Eurasia because humans began to keep them close, possibly as a food source. This could have helped the species avoid extinction, unlike horses in the Western Hemisphere, which died out at the end of the last glacial period.

One idea is that people first kept young horses, called foals, as pets. Foals are small and easy to handle, and they naturally seek companionship, which humans could provide. Over time, these friendly foals may have been bred, leading to horses being used for riding and work. However, there is debate about what truly means "domestication," with some saying it requires specific changes from being bred in captivity.

Horses in historic warfare

Main article: Horses in warfare

Horses played a big role in ancient battles, especially when they pulled chariots around the year 2000 BCE. These chariots were important in early warfare. During the Bronze Age, horses were smaller than today’s horses, which made some people think they were only used for pulling chariots and not for riding. But horses stayed small even into the Middle Ages.

In the Iron Age, people began riding horses as soldiers, using them for quick attacks. Nomads like the Parthians were very good at this. Over time, chariots were replaced by riders on horses. Even small horses could carry adult soldiers and were used in battles for many years. Groups like the Scythians, Huns, Turks, Mongols, Arabs, and Native Americans all used horses effectively in warfare.