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Animals : an open access journal from MDPI2021; 11(7); 1859; doi: 10.3390/ani11071859

From the Eurasian Steppes to the Roman Circuses: A Review of Early Development of Horse Breeding and Management.

Abstract: The domestication of the horse began about 5500 years ago in the Eurasian steppes. In the following millennia horses spread across the ancient world, and their role in transportation and warfare affected every ancient culture. Ownership of horses became an indicator of wealth and social status. The importance of horses led to a growing interest in their breeding and management. Many phenotypic traits, such as height, behavior, and speed potential, have been proven to be a subject of selection; however, the details of ancient breeding practices remain mostly unknown. From the fourth millennium BP, through the Iron Age, many literature sources thoroughly describe horse training systems, as well as various aspects of husbandry, many of which are still in use today. The striking resemblance of ancient and modern equine practices leaves us wondering how much was accomplished through four thousand years of horse breeding.
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Publication Date: 2021-06-22 PubMed ID: 34206575PubMed Central: PMC8300240DOI: 10.3390/ani11071859Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

The research article discusses the history of horse domestication, describing how it began about 5500 years ago in the Eurasian steppes, and how it spread across the ancient world, affecting every ancient culture through its significance in transportation and warfare. The article details the evolution of horse breeding and management through the years, highlighting the parallels between ancient practices and current ones.

Context and Significance

  • This study hinges on understanding the deep-rooted historical context of horse domestication and breeding, highlighting its beginning around 5500 years ago in the Eurasian steppes. This is significant as horses became instrumental in transportation and warfare, influencing all ancient cultures.
  • The ownership of horses was a marker of wealth and social status, further emphasizing the societal importance of horses during this time.

Horse Breeding and Management

  • The research elucidates the increasing interest in horse breeding and management, owing mainly to their importance in society. It also explores various phenotypic traits such as height, behavior, and speed potential that became subjects of selection.
  • However, the full details of ancient breeding practices remain largely unknown. This represents one of the challenges or gaps in understanding the full historical depth and evolution of horse breeding and management.

Training and Husbandry Practices

  • The article investigates literature sources from the fourth millennium BP through the Iron Age that offers detailed descriptions of both the training systems for horses and various aspects of husbandry.
  • Interestingly, many of these ancient practices are still in use in modern times, indicating a degree of continuity and effectiveness in these practices over the centuries.

Comparison of Ancient and Modern Practices

  • The research underscores a prominent resemblance between ancient horse breeding and management practices and those prevalent today. It brings up a question about the advancements in horse breeding over the past four thousand years, given these similarities.
  • This comparison deepens our understanding of the long-running tradition of horse breeding, management, and training over time and prompts further research on the development and changes in these practices over the centuries.

Cite This Article

APA
Klecel W, Martyniuk E. (2021). From the Eurasian Steppes to the Roman Circuses: A Review of Early Development of Horse Breeding and Management. Animals (Basel), 11(7), 1859. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani11071859

Publication

Animals : an open access journal from MDPI
ISSN: 2076-2615
NlmUniqueID: 101635614
Country: Switzerland
Language: English
Volume: 11
Issue: 7
PII: 1859

Researcher Affiliations

Klecel, Weronika
  • Department of Animal Genetics and Conservation, Institute of Animal Sciences, Warsaw University of Life Sciences, 02-786 Warsaw, Poland.
Martyniuk, Elżbieta
  • Department of Animal Genetics and Conservation, Institute of Animal Sciences, Warsaw University of Life Sciences, 02-786 Warsaw, Poland.

Conflict of Interest Statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

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