The evolution and importance of horses since their origins

Horses are almost certainly the most famous animals in the world today, so it is quite interesting to know where they come from and how they have evolved throughout history. Right now there are 150 main horse breeds worldwide, and each of them is subdivided into different breeds.

They are so important that they have even been included in world literature or have played a very important role in historical events. Who doesn’t know Rocinante, Babieca or Artax? They were the faithful companions of real and imaginary heroes, and in mythology they are also spoken of as the ones who made human civilisation possible.

Horses have been with us since the age of agriculture, through warfare and have even been a great means of transport for years, as this way moving between places was much faster and time-efficient without having to make the journey on foot. As the years went by, these animals became a form of entertainment that has endured up to this day. Horse racing began in the UK. Their popularity grew so much that they still exist today and are still being bet on. UK residents can access horse racing betting sites in the UK without having to go down to their local bookmakers and write down odd predictions on paper. Just a couple of clicks and they their bets are secured. In addition, the new sites offer attractive bonuses for even more profit. It is now easier to bet on Doubles, Lucky 15 or Lucky 31. But, it seems that they want to bring back the transport function beyond entertainment. It is believed that with the horse as transport CO2 emissions will decrease considerably.

Of course, the history of mankind would be very different from the way we know it without their existence.

The fascinating history of the horse

It was long believed that horses originated from the Equus ferus przewalskii, or Przewalskii horse, a Pleistocene variety from Asia which, although endangered, remains alive to this day.

This theory was eventually disregarded thanks to the work of a group of scientists who discovered that the real origin of these animals was in North America. Specifically, in those territories that today make up the state of Wyoming, located in the western part of the United States of America where Yellowstone National Park is located.

About 55 million years ago there was the Eohippus; the equine ancestor that set the foundation for the evolution of the horse as we know it today. Despite some traits they had in common with today’s horses, they did not really share many similarities with this first-born breed.

One of the most important differences was size, as the horses we know today are around 160 centimetres long, and there are even many horses that can reach up to be even 2 metres long. The first equines were no more than 20 centimetres long, and their feet had four toes, not the hooves we are so accustomed to. These became smaller as time went by.

Scientists believe that horses crossed into Eurasia before the continents separated, and it was there that they began to spread across the land and reached as far as Africa. Thus, they evolved throughout millennia and effectively adapted to their new environment.

Domestication

No one has been able to agree on exactly when horses were first domesticated, although it is thought that the date could be as early as 3500 BC in Kazakhstan. Others believe that there are some regions of the present-day Middle East where these mammals were working hand in hand with their human masters long before that date.

Another issue that has been the subject of much debate is the fact that domestic horses are differentiated from wild horses. This is because, scientifically speaking, it is quite clear that they are still the same animal, apart from some physical and personality differences between both species.

Horses are very sociable and intelligent animals, and their sense of smell is highly developed. Moreover, they can run within hours of birth and their life expectancy is between 25 and 30 years.

The most important applications of the horse

The horse played a very important role in agricultural roles, and still does nowadays. However, centuries ago, during the Middle Ages, horses were much larger and stronger than we are used to today.

As previously mentioned, they also played an important role in transport, as their role enabled humans to travel at a higher speed and longer distances thanks to them. Thus, they were able to carry their culture and genes to different geographical areas. They also managed to ride horses and master the technique much better.

Finally, for many, it was in warfare that the horse played a fundamental role, because thanks to it the history of mankind was completely changed forever.