Horse

This being is liked and admired by countless people all over the world because of their strength, gracefulness and elegance. A figure highly associated with many aspects of war, They pulled the ploughs and served as people’s transportation prior to the invention of vehicles. Due to their natural companionship with man in both art and work, the horse easily wins a special seat in history, ranking marks of honour, symbolism and reverence. Serving man in; war, agriculture, productivity, mobility, development of all kinds It is said that no animal has contributed more to the spread of civilisation as the horse. At one point in time, there were wild horses on every single continent on the planet. Now, we have domesticated most of them. Some of the earliest horses were as small as dogs. Because of the domestication of horses, civilization was allowed to spread over vast areas. Although the horse was present in many different cultures, an important thing to remember about horses, they are representative of the spirit. The horse serves man, but can never be fully tamed by him, they represent the same concepts of freedom and power.

The horse is a universal symbol of freedom without restraint, because riding a horse made people feel they could free themselves from their own bindings. Riding a horse expresses travel, movement, and desire. Horses represent many characteristics of the person as well, such as fertility, fidelity, sensitivity, strength, selfishness, anger, stubbornness, stupidity and vanity. In psychology it can be the unconscious, subhuman side.

Horses originated in what is now called North America around 55 million years ago. Their ancestors migrated to Eurasia around 2-3 million years ago, giving rise to the modern horse. Equid species went extinct in the Americas approximately 8,000 to 12,000 years ago. The earliest known ancestor of the modern horse is called Eohippus, which originated in North America around 60 million years ago. Eohippus eventually evolved into Equus, which is what we know of as the horse of today. The migration of horses from their origins is a complex and fascinating topic. According to genetic analysis, the breeding revolution 4200 years ago in the Pontic-Caspian steppes enabled the rapid spread of horse-powered travel. Prior to this time, horses were not being bred or domesticated, except among the Botaï. This means that horses did not contribute to human migrations and cultural expansions before this time. The earliest known migration of horses occurred across the Bering Land Bridge, with a first wave migrating from North America to Eurasia and a second wave from Eurasia to North America. This bidirectional spread of genes over long distances suggests that horses migrated between continents multiple times.

In Native American culture, the horse also represents power. Native American tribes that possessed horses often won more battles than those who did not. They also had more territory. The number of horses a tribe possessed was telling of how wealthy they were. Within these cultures and others, the horse is often an emblem of war. For millions of years, wild horses roamed what is now the Americas alongside charismatic creatures, such as woolly mammoths and giant sloths. Then, somewhere around 10,000 years ago, some crossed the Bering land bridge into Asia, where they thrived and spread. This is not the first and definitely not the last time this debate will be had about the horses. Though it seems at odds with this iconic symbol of the American West, the controversy over the horses comes from these creatures’ long history on the continent. The fossil record is not the only record to show horses in the North American continent. From American Indigenous historians like Yvette Running Horse Collins, the study of horses still coexisting with native peoples long before European contact is a new avenue of archaeological and indigenous research. Collins reaffirms a Native American claim that the prehistoric horses did not go extinct after the last Ice Age and that early Indigenous peoples had a relationship with these horses.

In African culture, he horse has held rich symbolism for thousands of years in mythology, and everyday life. The horse is often associated with adaptability, strength, fertility, and spirituality, reflecting its importance as a symbol of power, fertility, and connection to the divine. Horses were ridden in war, and were used as bride wealth payments, in ceremony and as indications of wealth. The Piti people of Nigeria also used their small hill ponies when hunting game. The majority of African horse breeds are derivatives of a domestication event that was centred in Asia Minor and the Mediterranean fringes. This is the region supposedly inhabited in the past by wild horses regarded by some experts as belonging to the subspecies Equus caballus pumpelli, the Afro-Turkic or Oriental horse.

Africa is home to several horse breeds, including the Barb Horse, Cape Horse, English Halbblut Horse, Namib Horse, SA Miniature Horse, Dongola Horse and SA Sporting horse, among others. These breeds have been depicted in rock art, often in association with riders, riders’ clothing, and with chariots etc. The depictions of horses in rock art provide valuable insights into the uses and importance of horses in African societies.

In Chinese culture, the horse is a symbol of good fortune, prosperity, and success. It is also associated with the element of wood and is considered a symbol of energy and vitality. In Chinese astrology, the horse is one of the 12 zodiac animals and is associated with the qualities of Healing, confidence, courage, and determination.

The Horse symbolizes Qian (referring to Yin, heaven or a male in the Eight Diagrams) in the worldview of the ancient Chinese people, and it means vigorous and prosperous. The Book of Changes (I-Ching) records: "Qian represents the Horse", therefore, the Horse not only represents heaven, a king, a father, and a well-educated man, but it also represents a man of honour in traditional Chinese culture.

China is home to several breds, some of these; the Balikun Horse, Baise Horse, Guizhou Horse, Shandan Horse, Mongolian…

In Tibetan Buddhism, the horse is considered a sacred animal and is associated with the wind horse, which is an allegory for the human soul. The wind horse is said to carry prayers to the heavens and bring blessings back to earth.

In Japanese culture, the horse is a symbol of good luck and prosperity. It is also associated with the god of war Susanoo and is said to have the power to bring victory and success in battle.

Hokkaido, Kiso, Misaki, Taishu, Noma, Tokara, Miyako and Yonaguni Horses are said to have derived from Mogonlian Horses introduced in the 3rd to 5th centuries and most of their breeds originate from here. Here are a few others; Hokkaido Washu, Kiso, Noma and Misaki Horses are part of the Eeight indigenous horses of the Japanese islands.

In Korean culture, the horse is a symbol of prosperity, and is often depicted in art and literature as a symbol of wealth and status.

Some of the breeds in this culture are; Anglo-Arabian (introduced to Korea in the late 1970s, It is a cross between an Arabian horse and a Thoroughbred0, Jeju Horse, Hanoverian Horse, Holsteiner Horse and Mongoloian…

In Mongolian culture, Horses have played a vital role in daily life for centuries. They are an integral part of the country’s nomadic tradition, serving as a means of transportation, a source of food, and a symbol of wealth and status. Horses are highly valued and respected. Other animals are important in Mongolian culture, but the horse almost always ranks above sheep, cattle, goats, and camels in prestige. They are seen as a symbol of strength, courage, and freedom. The Mongolian phrase “A Mongol without a horse is like a bird without wings” highlights the importance of horses in Mongolian life. A region with the Highest Horse population in the world with over 5 million.

The breeds used here are; Mongolian Horse, Takhi, Darhand Horse, Steppe Horse and Tuvinian Horse

In mythology

The Romans linked horses with Mars, the god of the fury of war. Horses were also seen pulling the chariot of Helios, the sun god.

In the Celtic mythology - horses were good luck and were harbingers of good fortune. The white horse, as aforementioned, was sacred to the Celts, and strongly associated with Rhiannon and Epona, who occasionally took the form of a white horse. In folk wisdom, if several horses are seen standing together, that means a storm is coming. However, this is not merely superstition, because horses often do group together to protect themselves from oncoming storms.

In Greek Mythology - Poseidon, the Greek god of the sea is responsible for creating and giving the horse to mankind. It is believed that Poseidon once was worshiped in the form of a horse.

In Norse mythology - the gods of the sky linked to horses. Nótt was the goddess of the night, she was dark as night. She was married to Delling in her third marriage. Delling was the handsome god of dawn. Nótt and Delling had a son named Dagr. He was even more handsome than his father. He was the god of daylight.

In Mongolian mythology - horses are believed to be connected to the spirit world. The word “Takhi” (), which means “spirit” or “spiritual” in Mongolian, is often used to describe the wild horses that once roamed the Eurasian steppe. These horses are considered a symbol of the nation’s heritage and are deeply revered.

In Chinese mythology - the horse is said to have been created by the gods to help humans in times of need. It was believed by the ancient people that the horse was an elf in the Yellow River and the incarnation of descendants of the Yellow Emperor, and it now symbolizes the subjective spirit and moral standards of the Chinese nation.

in Korean mythology - the horse is said to have been sent by the gods to help humans in times of war,

In Hindu mythology - the horse is associated with the god of war, Kartikeya, and is said to have the power to bring victory and success in battle.

In Welsh Mythology - Rhiannon, the Welsh Goddess and Witch is the Goddess of the moon, horses, horseshoes, and birds. She is often seen in images on the back of a white horse.