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While dogs may be widely regarded as man's best friend, horses deserve a place of equal importance on the podium. For over 5,000 years, horses have played a pivotal role in human progress, assisting in transporting heavy loads over vast distances far quicker than humans could manage alone. Their involvement in warfare, hunting, and sports was integral until the rise of the steam engine in the last few centuries, which gradually diminished their role in society.
The long-standing relationship between humans and horses is filled with remarkable and at times bizarre moments. From ancient beliefs that horses were divine gifts to the odd modern-day idea that they can answer emails, here are ten strange episodes from the shared history of humans and horses that are sure to surprise you.
10. Divine Gifts: It's curious that Poseidon, the god of the seas, would also be associated with a land-dwelling animal like the horse. Yet, in ancient Greek belief, Poseidon was not just the sea god, but also the deity responsible for bringing horses into existence. To the Greeks, horses were not only a physical gift from the gods but also the offspring of many legendary steeds in Greek mythology.
As the trident-wielding god of the seas, Poseidon's link to horses is a fascinating aspect of ancient Greek mythology. They believed that Poseidon was the creator of horses, and many famous horses from Greek myths were thought to be his children. To the Greeks, horses were truly divine gifts.
The mythical talking horse Arion was born from Poseidon's pursuit of his sister, Demeter, the goddess of agriculture. To evade him, Demeter transformed into a mare and mingled with other horses, but Poseidon saw through her disguise and changed into a stallion. Additionally, Poseidon is known as the father of Pegasus, the iconic winged horse, and he gifted immortal horses to Peleus, the father of Achilles, as a wedding present.
As for why Poseidon, the god of the seas, was also considered the god of horses, it's important to note that Greek gods were often assigned their domains not because of any particular traits, but rather through chance. Poseidon received the seas after drawing lots with his brothers.
9. Horses of Various Colors: Long before Greek mythology, early humans depicted horses in their artwork. For a long time, scientists believed that the leopard-spotted horses seen in 25,000-year-old cave paintings in France were simply the product of the artists’ imaginations. These ancient artists clearly knew what horses were, but genetic analysis suggested that only black or bay (reddish-brown) horses roamed the Earth at that time. One theory proposed that the spotted horses might have been painted for religious or symbolic purposes.
But in 2011, an analysis of 31 horse fossils from across Europe revealed that six of them contained a genetic mutation found in modern spotted horses. This discovery confirmed that the prehistoric artists had actually depicted real spotted horses, not imaginary ones. It also suggested that many other cave paintings might have been more accurate representations of the animals they saw than previously believed. These paintings could potentially provide valuable insights into life before written history. However, the exact reason why there are so many cave paintings of horses remains unanswered.
Despite the new discoveries, the question of why so many cave paintings of horses exist is still open for debate, with no definitive answers yet found.
8. Medieval Europe's “Supercars”: In medieval England, horses enjoyed the same kind of prestige and recognition that supercars like Ferraris or Porsches do today. According to a study released in 2024, the logos of high-performance car brands might actually represent the powerful horses they once replaced.
Cavemen had a noticeable fascination with horses, often painting them in their caves. While it might seem like they were somewhat obsessed with these animals, their obsession pales in comparison to the reverence medieval people had for them. In medieval England, horses were regarded with such high status that they were the equivalent of today's most powerful sports cars. Research suggests that, just as Ferrari, Porsche, and Mustang represent elite vehicles today, they were symbolically linked to the impressive horses of the past.
Researchers examined the teeth of horses discovered in a medieval animal burial site in Westminster, England. This site held some of the most remarkable horses of the time, and the scientists were trying to trace their origins. Their findings revealed that these horses came from various parts of Europe, including Scandinavia, the Alps, Spain, and Italy. The evidence suggested that these horses were bred at royal stud farms.
This suggests that medieval elites likely sought out and imported the largest, most powerful horses, much like today's wealthy individuals might purchase German or Italian sports cars. These impressive horses were not only symbols of status but also gave their owners an edge in activities like jousting.
7. The Revenge of a Persian King: This part of the history features a Persian king who sought vengeance in an extraordinary way, further emphasizing the significance of horses in warfare and royal status during ancient times.
Horse obsession has long existed, even before medieval times. One prominent figure often linked to this obsession is the infamous Roman emperor Caligula. While it’s widely believed he made his favorite horse a consul, this story isn’t true. However, centuries before Caligula, there was another leader known for his love of horses: King Cyrus of Persia. Around 500 years prior to Caligula’s reign, Cyrus led his army towards Babylon with a notable fondness for horses.
Herodotus, the ancient historian, recounts an intriguing story from King Cyrus’s campaign. As his army neared the Gyndes River, a tributary large enough to require a boat, one of Cyrus’s sacred white horses tried to cross it alone. Tragically, the horse was swept away by the current. Furious, Cyrus vowed to weaken the river so that even women could cross it without getting their knees wet. He halted his invasion of Babylon and ordered his army to dig 180 channels on either side of the river. The army succeeded in weakening the river, but it cost them the entire summer.
6. High Status in Ancient African Societies: Horses have long held significant roles in various societies, as evidenced by both mythology and archaeology. A striking example comes from 2011 when the skeleton of a horse, believed to be around 3,000 years old, was discovered in Africa. The horse was buried in a tomb traditionally reserved for high-status individuals, shedding light on the importance of horses in ancient African cultures. This tomb was located in Nubia, an ancient rival to Egypt, and featured a chapel, a pyramid, and several burial chambers, as well as a shaft for access.
Approximately 200 people and their belongings were buried in the tomb alongside the horse, but very few animals were present. This suggests the horse held significant value for its owners. The horse was likely used for chariot-pulling, and scientific analysis revealed that it had been well cared for and had lived a relatively long life.
The presence of such a well-preserved horse in an elite burial site highlights the importance of horses in ancient African societies, where they were not just valuable possessions but symbols of status and wealth.
Over time, formal horse burials became increasingly common in the region. However, this particular burial demonstrates that horses were already regarded as symbols of wealth and power among the Nubian people.
5. Horse DUIs?
On another part of the African continent, a tragic mix of horses, alcohol, and youthful mischief led to the burial of a well-known young pharaoh. This is a theory proposed by Egyptologist Sofia Aziz. While the precise cause of King Tutankhamun’s death remains unclear, one clue is a leg fracture he sustained. Aziz believes the evidence suggests a high-speed chariot accident, potentially caused by the king being intoxicated.
In ancient Egypt, it was customary for Egyptians to be buried with items they wished to take into the afterlife, and Tutankhamun was no exception—his tomb contained plenty of dry white wine and six chariots, indicating they were among his prized possessions. Despite earlier findings that suggested Tutankhamun could not have driven a chariot due to a clubbed foot, Aziz proposes this deformity may have resulted from his mummification. Research has shown that teenagers are often involved in the majority of road accidents in modern times, and Aziz argues this could have been the case when horses pulled chariots in ancient Egypt.
4. Horse Dentistry
The history of horses and humans cannot be discussed without acknowledging the Mongolians, yet their passion for horses began long before Genghis Khan’s formidable warriors. Over a millennium prior to the rise of the Mongol Empire, the nomadic people of the Deer Stone-Khirigsuur culture were already traversing the grasslands on horseback. When they weren't riding or using horses in rituals, they were advancing the practice of horse dentistry.
Horse skulls from the time of the Deer Stone-Khirigsuur culture—around 1300 BC to 700 BC—have been discovered with their wolf teeth removed. The wolf tooth is a surplus tooth that typically grows during the first year of a horse's life but falls out by the third. If it doesn't, it can interfere with the horse’s mouth when using a metal bit, causing discomfort. Metal bits began to be used in Mongolia around 800 BC, offering riders more control compared to those made from materials like leather and wood. It’s likely that the Deer Stone-Khirigsuur people adopted these bits, which may explain their practice of removing wolf teeth from their horses.
3. OutHorse Your Email
The advent of the steam engine marked the decline of the close bond between horses and humans. Machines, being more powerful and not requiring sustenance, gradually took over many of the tasks previously performed by horses. However, that does not mean that horses and technology have never collaborated.
A quirky example of this occurred in Iceland in 2022, where a service was launched allowing horses to respond to people's emails. The campaign, called “OutHorse Your Email,” aimed to boost tourism by offering vacationers a chance to unwind without the burden of replying to work emails. All they had to do was choose a horse to reply on their behalf, and the horse would create a unique—but nonsensical—response by trotting across a large keyboard.
2. The Impact of Horsepower
Horsepower is a common term used today to gauge the power of vehicles, but few know where it comes from. It was introduced by James Watt—whose name is often mistakenly associated with another power unit—to promote his steam engine in the 1770s. At the time, many tasks that the steam engine could perform were done by horses, so Watt thought that potential customers would better grasp its power if he compared it to how many horses would be needed for a similar task.
There are various theories about how Watt determined the power of a horse, but what’s more fascinating is that he had a reason to exaggerate it. By making horses seem more powerful, his machine would appear more impressive when it outperformed them. It’s true that he inflated the number a bit, but not by much. Studies suggest that a typical horse can only sustain one horsepower for around three hours, not a full day. Despite this, the metric helped make Watt’s steam engine appealing, and it ultimately succeeded in the marketplace.
1. Horse Skulls Buried Beneath Irish Homes
While the grasslands of Mongolia are known for their abundance of horse skulls, you can also find them in Ireland. However, instead of digging up the land, one might find these eerie remains beneath the floors of ancient homes. The reasons behind this odd custom are still uncertain, but researchers have proposed several theories, many of which, not surprisingly, are tied to superstition.
Some believe that horse skulls were buried for good luck, while others think the practice originated from the idea that horses could see ghosts and evil spirits. Burying objects thought to repel malevolent forces has been a tradition in various cultures throughout history. Another theory suggests that horse skulls were used to amplify the sound within a house, enhancing the acoustics during social events, especially when people danced.
In some cases, the skull would even be filled with coins for this very reason. In other parts of Ireland, it is said that horse skulls were buried beneath church altars, as their unique acoustic properties helped amplify the voices of priests, ensuring their words could be heard clearly throughout the entire church.
