Hoofbeats Through History

​My humans like to stay informed. They read newspapers, listen to the radio, watch TV and  have news apps on their phones. Hundreds of years ago people did not have the radio, TV and phone apps. They had some newspapers but many people did not even know how to read. So how did people receive information? They used "word of mouth". Word of mouth is the passing of information from person to person using oral communication. 
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Have you ever played the game of telephone? It shows how word of mouth works. If you have never played the game,  gather family and friends and give it a try. Here are the rules: 


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1. Getting Started. Players must sit in a circle or stand in a straight line. They need to be close enough that whispering is possible, but not so close that players can hear each other whisper.
2. Begin the Game. The first person in the line or circle whispers a word or phrase into the ear of the person sitting or standing to their right. The word or phrase can only be whispered once, so players must pay close attention.
3. The Game Continues. Players whisper the phrase to their neighbors until it reaches the last player in line.
4. The Conclusion. The last player says the word or phrase out loud so everyone can hear how much it has changed from the first whisper at the beginning of the circle or line.

As you can imagine, the message probably changes as it goes from person to person; it shows how small misconceptions can end up making a huge difference!

​Today we hear a lot about "Fake News". Even with all of the communication tools available today, the message is often misinterpreted and changed.

So how did "word of mouth" work? In the ancient world messengers  traveled on foot to deliver messages. That took a very long time! People often did not know what was even happening in a village just 50 miles away. People had no idea that there were wars in other parts of the world. The people in ancient Europe did not have chariots; they didn't even know that the people in ancient Egypt were driving around in chariots until hundreds of years later! So, not only did news travel slowly, even inventions spread very slowly throughout the ancient world. But that all changed when people started to harness the power of the horse! For thousands of years the horse was the fastest way to get information from one place to another. Throughout history there have been many great stories of horses that helped to spread the word.
Here are just a few stories. I wrote a news headline for each story - aren't I clever?

Did you know that Buddhism started with a journey on a horse? Buddhism is the world's fourth largest religion with over 520 million followers. 

Siddhartha was born in Nepal during the 4th century BC. According to legend, Siddhartha was a prince born into power and privilege. When the Prince came into manhood, he was given a pure white horse named Kanthaka who escorted him wherever he went. Even as Siddhartha rode Kanthaka while learning war game exercises, things were carried out in a most delicate manner; an umbrella was held above the young Prince's head day and night to protect him from cold, heat, dust, dirt, and dew, even while riding his horse. Siddhartha, mounted on Kanthaka, proved his capabilities as a warrior too. But then at the age of 29 Siddhartha and Kanthaka journeyed through his father’s kingdom and witnessed sickness and cruelty for the first time so he decided to leave behind his life of luxury and to seek enlightenment. According to legend he started out on his journey with Kanthaka and "the horse's hooves were muffled by the gods" to prevent the palace guards from knowing of his departure. When Siddhartha dismounted for the last time, Kanthaka died of a broken heart caused by the separation from the one he loved. Yet in an act of divine grace, the faithful horse was reincarnated as an enlightened human being.

​When the colonies in the Northeast of America were first settled in the early 1600s, the communities lying between Boston and New York were virtually isolated from one another. On January 22, 1673, Governor Francis Lovelace of New York dispatched the first post rider to effectively connect New York and Boston and provide mail service for the settlements which lay on the way. The route taken by this first post rider carried him to New Haven, Hartford, and then Springfield, Massachusetts. The route then followed the “Bay Path,” a former Indian trail, on to Boston. This route was known as the Upper Boston Post Road, and the total journey from New York to Boston was some 250 miles. The post rider remained the principle means of communication in colonial America and his services were not replaced until improved roads permitted stagecoach travel in the late 1700’s.  The horse provided the means to carry goods to market, to speed people from one city to another, and to carry settlers into the interior of America. Muddy paths gave way to a well-designed road system. The stagecoach eventually afforded a means of mass transit whereby people could move about in relative safety and comfort

In  1763 Benjamin Franklin was the colonial postmaster general of his majesty's provinces. In this  painting (left) of Franklin in his one-horse chaise, he is receiving an important communiqué from a post rider. His daughter is riding along on horseback. The noted scientist, philosopher, and statesman personally inspected all colonial post offices from Rhode Island to Philadelphia. He devised safer ferry crossings, championed better connecting roads, and measured for milestone markers in his ever-diligent and farsighted efforts to unite the colonies. At this time, it took four weeks for a letter from Boston to reach Williamsburg, Virginia!

The speed of the horse made it valuable in delivering messages to political leaders and generals during the American Revolution. Long before telegraph, telephone and the internet, the horse was the fastest way to deliver a message. At a canter a horse could travel up to 25-30 mph for short distances and trot up to 8-12 mph over a sustained period. Horses also hauled supplies and armaments. Despite occupying every major city, the British remained at a disadvantage in the countryside where the use of the horse proved to be a critical element for transport and communication. The kind of warfare employed by the colonists required swift pursuit and withdrawal. The horse was the deciding factor in these types of tactics used to defeat a better organized yet less adaptable enemy.  The value of a horse was so high, that it was a capital offense to steal one.

Sallie, ridden by Captain Jack Jouett, saved Thomas Jefferson and other important legislators from capture. On the night of June 3–4, 1781, Jack Jouett rode about forty miles from Louisa County to Charlottesville to warn state officials of the approaching British Army. The British had been threatening Richmond and central Virginia since the spring, and the General Assembly had fled to Charlottesville. On June 3, British cavalry under Lieutenant Colonel Banastre Tarleton, assembled in Louisa County to attack Charlottesville. Jouett noticed them, guessed their intentions, and raced ahead to warn Governor Thomas Jefferson, whose term had just ended, and other members of the state government. The assembly escaped to Staunton while Jefferson retreated first to Monticello and then, eventually, to his second home at Poplar Forest, leaving Virginia without an elected governor for a few days. The ride was noted as “probably…the most difficult feat of horsemanship known to history,” by one authority at the time.

The horse Paul Revere rode on April 18th, 1775 was perhaps named Brown Beauty. Esther Forbes, Paul Revere’s Pulitzer Prize winning biographer, argues forcibly that the horse that Revere rode from Charlestown to Lexington was a Narragansett Pacer borrowed from Deacon Larkin of Charlestown but this has been debated. Paul Revere attempted to ride to Concord to warn that the British were coming but he was captured on the road to Concord. The 15-mile ride was mostly at a walk with an occasional spurring onwards. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow later immortalized Revere by focusing on him—instead of fellow riders William Dawes and Samuel Prescott

Everyday citizens knew what was at stake and aided the war effort in a multitude of ways, and 16-year-old Sybil Ludington was one of these informal soldiers. Her father, Colonel Ludington had trained his family on how to protect each other and their home.
 
When a messenger arrived at the Ludington farm on April 26, 1777, too exhausted to travel further, Sybil became the logical choice to ride out and muster the militia. Her father needed to stay at the farm and order the troops as they arrived. British General William Tryon had landed off the coast, moving inland unopposed. His 2,000 soldiers reached the town of Danbury, Connecticut, and set fire to private homes and the Continental Army storehouses of meat, flour, rice, molasses, uniforms, shoes and gunpowder, all vital supplies for the colonists’ war effort. The message that Danbury was burning was an important one. If Tryon’s army continued, they would soon reach the large warehouses at Fredericksburg, potentially crippling the revolutionary movement, or they could attack General George Washington’s army 2 days away at Peekskill. The militia troops had taken a break from months of battle, returning home to plant their spring crops and scattering across many miles.
 
Sybil mounted up.  She took off through the dark rain, riding from farm to farm on the 40-mile circuit. When she finally reached home at dawn, nearly 400 militiamen had gathered on the Ludington farm. They immediately marched to Danbury, fewer in number than the British but with surprise on their side. The British may also have been hindered by consuming the colonists’ stores of rum the night before. This became known as the Battle of Ridgefield. The militia joined with Continental Army troops to drive General Tryon’s army back to their ships, an instrumental day in preserving the course of the American War of Independence. The militia were able to push the British off Long Island Sound thanks to her quick warning. Often young women and boys were messenger riders because they were light in weight and skilled riders.   

Winchester (aka Rienzi) (ca. 1858-1878) was General Philip Sheridan’s horse during the American Civil War. Winchester was a jet-black stallion with three white socks. He was foaled in Grand Rapids, Michigan and his bloodline included Morgan horses of the prestigious Black Hawk line. He had a long stride and walked at roughly 5 mph. At more than 16 hands high, he was big for the slightly built General Sheridan. Sheridan rode Winchester/Rienzi almost constantly for the next three years -- including forty five engagements and nineteen fierce battles and cavalry raids. Winchester/ Rienzi became a national celebrity in October, 1864 when he played a role in saving the Union Army from defeat at Cedar Creek. Sheridan was in Washington DC for a staff meeting, when Confederates launched a surprise attack on his troops in Cedar Creek Virginia. Sheridan was still twenty miles away in Winchester when he awoke to the sound of cannons. Sheridan rode Rienzi at full gallop towards his troops arriving in time to rally his soldiers: "Men, by God, we'll whip them yet!" he shouted. Sheridan's troops rallied and prevailed. In the poem, “Sheridan’s Ride,” Thomas Buchanan Read tells the story of the most dramatic ride in military history. The historic ride created a media frenzy and inspired paintings, prints, songs and monuments.  After his death in October 1878, Winchester/Rienzi was preserved and mounted and is on display at the National Museum of American History. 
 

As cities and towns developed, there was a need for timely communication between the settlements. The Pony Express operated from April 3, 1860 to October 24, 1861. It was founded, owned and operated by the freighting firm of William H. Russell, Alexander Majors and William B. Waddell.
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The purpose was to provide a faster mail delivery service between St. Joseph, Missouri and Sacramento, California. These men were interested in transportation and their reason for establishing the Pony Express was to prove that the central route was viable all year long and their interest in obtaining the government mail contracts. At the brink of the Civil War, California was thought to be thinking about secession and communication with the east was crucial.  Though the Government made many false promises to the founders, they believed that the Pony Express should keep on running.  Russell, Majors and Waddell felt their obligation to their country and kept it running without regard to their own sacrifice and loss.  They assured that California and her gold would remain in the Union.

Most riders were around 20 years old; the youngest was 11 and the oldest was 40. Approximately 183 men rode for The Pony Express. 400 horses were purchased to stock the express route. Common breeds were Mustangs, Thoroughbreds, Pintos and Morgans. The average horse was 14.2 hands and a weighed 900 pounds.

Riders rode one horse for 10-15 miles, and then changed out for a fresh mount. Each rider rode about a 75-100 mile stretch until relieved by a new rider. Overall, the route was around 2,000 miles, and took about 10 days. The cost was $5 per ½ ounce in the beginning and eventually the cost was $1 per half ounce towards the end. The riders carried a “Mochila”- a mail pouch held in place by the rider’s weight. (left) Each corner had a lockable pocket and it held 20 pounds of mail.

I hope you have enjoyed reading about lots of famous horses and people. Today we have many ways to get our information quickly but remember, for thousands of years, the horse was the fastest means of communication. Many people did heroic deeds to get information from one place to another. Now is you chance to do that! Here is a game where you can try your skill at being a  Pony Express rider. Good luck!

It's my birthday! I'm 16 years old today. My humans decided to dress me up for my birthday. Boy the stuff I put up with for them. But I know they love me so it's OK.

Even though I am 16 today, OFFICIALLY I was 16 on January first. Did you know that all horses turn their age for that year on January first? It all started in 1851 when the British Jockey Club wanted to make age grouping for races "simple". Only it's not that simple! Getting mares to foal  close to January first  is not easy.  

Lots of people ask me, “how old do horses live?” This might surprise you - the average life span of a horse is between 25 and 30 years!

​Old Billy is considered the oldest horse to have ever lived. He died at age 62. He was born sometime in 1760 in Woolston, Lancashire, England. Old Billy was owned by Mersey and Irwell Navigation and spent his life working as a barge horse, dragging barges in the canals from the shore. Due to his old age, he became a local celebrity and an artist named W. Taylor painted a portrait of Old Billy. 

​That was a long time ago! Are you wondering if there are horses that old now?  According to the Remus Memorial Horse Sanctuary, they believe that the oldest horse now is a horse named Orchid who has been living at the Sanctuary since 2014. They are currently waiting for confirmation from the Guinness Book of World Records. Orchid is a 50-year-old Arab-Thoroughbred cross!

So how old is a horse in human years then? A horse year is equal to 6 1/2 human years for the first 3 years of the horse's life. At the horse age of 3, the equivalent changes and is approximately 5 years to man. At the horse age of 4, the horse year equivalency changes to 2 1/2 years. So if your horse lives to be 36 horse years old, the human equivalency in years would be 100 1/2 years! If you don’t feel like doing the math, Spruce Pets has a chart calculating the ages of horses in terms of human years.

How can you tell how old a horse is? The saying, “long in the tooth”  refers to the age-old method of determining age by looking at a horse’s teeth. The horse's gums recede and their teeth appear longer as they grow older. The idea behind this old folk phrase, means that one is getting on in years. Determining the age of a horse by looking at teeth is only somewhat reliable and only up to about ages 10 – 14.  

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BUT there is only one way to definitely tell the age of a horse and that is to learn the date it was foaled (born). I know that my birthday is today and that I am 13 - my registration papers have that date on them! Registration papers are like a birth certificate for horses. It tells me who my parents are and who bred me and lots of other stuff too - like what color I am. 

A horse up to age 1 is called a “foal”. When a foal is weaned (no longer takes milk from its mother/dam)  it is called a weanling. Foals are usually weaned between 6 months and a year. Once it is a year old, the foal is referred to as a yearling. How old is a filly? A filly is a female horse less than 4 years old and from 4 on she is called a mare. A colt is a male horse less than 4 years old. A gelding is a male horse that has been castrated and a stallion is a male horse that is intact.

Do different breeds of horses live longer? For instance, how long do quarter horses live? Age of horses depends more on care and use than the breed of the horse. In a study of older horses, performed by Dr. Mary Rose Paradis at Tufts Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, it was found that  ponies lived longer than horses; but, the study did not find any breed-specific trends for longer life span among the horses studied.
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So, when should you call a horse “old"? I'm 13 and feel and act the same as when I was 3 (well, maybe I'm a little smarter and have lots more training that when I was 3). In the Tufts study they decided that 20 years of age was a good place to start. When owners were asked about horse age most said that they started to see signs of aging at 23.

How old does a horse have to be to ride and how old is a horse when it stops growing? Most people would agree that starting horses under the age of 2 is not a good idea because of their physical and mental immaturity. The horse’s spinal joints are the last to develop. These bones don’t reach full strength until around 5 to 6 years of age. Adding the weight of rider to an immature spine can be harmful in the long term to a horse’s back. There is a difference between educating a horse to carry a rider and putting him to work. You can certainly introduce a horse to having someone on his back before 5 years of age but then not actually work the horse with someone on his back until 5 or 6.
 
If you can’t ride a 2-year-old horse then what can you do with a 2-year-old horse? Ground work is very important and will certainly pay off when you do ride or drive the horse. Ground work includes:

• Teaching the horse to stand
• Teaching the horse to lead on a line
• Learning voice commands – walk, whoa, trot, stand
• Picking up feet and cleaning them
• Clipping, grooming and giving baths
• Accept tack including a saddle, girth, harness, bridle, bit
• Load and unload in a trailer
• Travel to areas other than home
• Ground drive and long line (avoiding too much circle work)
• Introduce noises and strange objects

​At the other end of the scale how old can a horse be ridden and what can you do with older horses? According to Karyn Malinowski, the director of the Equine Science Center at Rutgers, in a Q/A in Practical Horseman,  it was found that horses have a tremendous ability to exercise - even as they get older. The aerobic capacity of a 20-year-old horse is still two times higher than that of an elite Olympic marathon runner. Horses are designed to continue exercising late into their lives. At Rutgers Equine Center they have a horse that has his own blog (JUST LIKE ME!!!). His name is  Lord Nelson, a 40-year-old Quarter Horse. He still gallops up to the gate every morning for breakfast. Keeping horses active with exercise and turnout (preferably 24 hours/day) is essential in these later years.  Horses are more likely to experience orthopedic issues before any loss of aerobic capacity. Eventually, as your horse progresses through his 20s, you will need to take his exercise level down a notch. But try to keep doing whatever activity he enjoyed most in his earlier days.
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Older horses do need some special attention though - like what to feed an old horse. Feeding older horses in winter is especially challenging! It is always best to have a vet check an older horse long before winter arrives to ensure he has enough weight on him and is in good physical condition. According to an article in Equus magazine,  if older horses don't take in enough calories, they can get caught in a self-perpetuating weight-loss cycle in the winter. Older horses tend to be thinner, with less muscle and fat layers. The feed these horses eat goes toward creating these insulat­ing layers and keeping them warm. If they cannot maintain body weight, they become colder and use more energy to stay warm, which in turn makes them even thinner. Additionally, when the majority of a horse's nutrients go to keeping him warm, he has fewer resources left for fighting off illness or repairing tissues, leading to a decline in over-all health. Compounding the problem is the fact that older horses don't digest food nearly as efficiently as younger horses. Their ability to digest fiber is 5 percent lower and their ability to utilize protein is about 15 percent lower. So even if they are being fed the same amount of feed as the younger horses, older horses will not utilize it all and can lose condition quickly. It is best to increase a horse's forage (that means hay) intake during the winter months, getting as close as possible to the ideal of around-the-clock, free-choice hay.

As horses age they will also develop cataracts. The glare from sun-light can make it difficult for horses with even minor cataracts to see. Consider outfitting these horses with dark fly masks, which will act as sunglasses.

Older horses often deal with arthritis so continuous turn out is best for an older horse. A vet may suggest an anti-inflammatory medication too.

Like people, horses are living much longer due to better health care and better-informed owners. Older horses are enjoying staying active just like their owners! My owners take really good care of me. One of my pasture mates is 31 years old and he has been part of my human's family since he was 2 years old.  I think I'm going to live until 50! At least!

My name is Romano Imperator – but everyone calls me “Rosie”. First of all, I’m a gelding so, don’t let the name fool you. I should probably explain WHY everyone calls me “Rosie”. My color is referred to as “rose gray”. When I was younger, a lady saw a picture of me and said I looked “rosie”.
Gray horses change color as they mature. Think of it as getting a surprise gift year after year!
Here is a picture of me when I was young, I’m the horse in the lead. The lady driving me is the person who brought me to America from Spain when I was five years old. Her name is Gloria Austin. Her trainer is sitting next to her. His name is David Saunders. He was the head coachman to Prince Phillip, The Duke of Edinburgh.

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​​And here is a picture of me now. I still have my rosie mane and tail!


I think Rosie is the prefect name for me because I also have a very cheerful personality. But a lot of that has to do with my breed. I am a PRE. PRE stands for “Pura Raza Española” (Pure Spanish Horse). I was born in Spain at a farm that breeds PRE horses. I can trace my ancestors back to the 1500s!
 


Beginning in the late Middle Ages, Carthusian monks, in Spain, started breeding horses. Since they were among the very few people who could read and write at the time, they kept careful records of their horse breeding. Some of the earliest written pedigrees in recorded European history were kept by these monks. The horses bred by the monks were highly sought after by many people, including kings! Through the years the Carthusian monks guarded their bloodlines with passion; even denying an order to breed horses owned by royal stud farms into their stock. About eighty two percent of the PRE horses in Spain today contain some of this same  Carthusian  blood. 

​Have you ever heard of a man named El Cid? El Cid means “The Lord Champion” but his real name was Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar. As a young boy he was a ward of Prince Sancho, the oldest son of King Ferdinand of Spain. Rodrigo was trained to be a knight by Sancho and he became a very good knight! When the Muslims defeated the army of Castile, Alfonso, who was the king of Spain at the time, asked El Cid to help. El Cid put together an army of four thousand and defeated the much larger army of the Muslims in 1094 AD. This was just the beginning of his victories over the Muslims. There were many more and eventually most of Spain became Christian again. El Cid’s horse is as famous as he is. El Cid’s horse, Babieca, was bred by the Carthusian monks that I just told you about! Babieca came into the world spindly and weak. The monks thought he was worthless, so they named him Babieca, meaning fool or stupid. One of the monks, Pedro El Grande, named for his largeness, was the uncle of Rodrigo (El Cid). When Rodrigo was a young man Pedro El Grande told him that he could choose any horse from his fine stables to raise as his own. Much to the monk’s surprise, Rodrigo picked the little weakling colt his uncle had named Babieca. As Rodrigo grew to become a fierce and well-respected soldier, Babieca grew to be a well-trained and devoted war-horse. After the death of El Cid, Babieca was never ridden again and died two years later at the age of 40; a remarkably long life for a horse who’d seen so many battles. I think it is pretty incredible that I am related to such an amazing horse! 

I have lots of stories to tell about horses throughout history - horses like Babieca - so I’ve been busy writing books all about horses and history. One of the books tells many more stories about horses in the Middle Ages!
 
So, back to my “rosie” personality and more about my breed. A PRE is gentle, caring and willing. The most outstanding characteristic of the Pure Spanish Horse is, without any doubt, temperament. A PRE has the unique willingness to work with his human companion. I try very hard to please my humans when they ride or drive me. I listen carefully to their cues and try my best to do as they ask. My humans think I am pretty clever and funny too. I have them well trained into thinking that I am in need of treats whenever they bring me in, turn me out, groom me, ride me…well, I need treats all the time actually! Whether ridden by a professional or a child, a PRE is truly a horse that always offers his best. The PRE is known as the Horse of Kings too. It was the choice mount for many kings in battle and was the original classical dressage horse. Dressage is a French word that means "training". It is a highly skilled form of riding performed in exhibition and competition. Sometimes it is pursued solely for the sake of mastery.
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Did you know that many of the dressage movements of today were originally taught to horses as offensive and defensive moves for battle? The movements are natural to the horse – the trick is getting the horse to do the movements with direction from a rider. The rider’s legs, hands, seat and voice are the steering wheel and gear shift of the equine vehicle. These are called the rider’s “aids”. By using the aids, the rider can ask for specific types of movements.
 
The war horse needed to have good conformation to do the required movements for battle. Conformation means the build of the horse – how he is put together. Ideally a war horse needed to have a shoulder slope at a good angle. This allowed the horse to have greater reach with its front legs, making the horse more agile.  A war horse needed to have a “fighting stance” too. This “fighting stance” is called “collection”. In collection, a horse’s energy is evenly balanced between the front end and rear end. This allowed the horse to be very light and maneuverable for the rider. A horse that had a rounded and slightly sloping croup (topline of the hindquarters) was suited for doing movements in collection. Without collection, it was not possible to execute the maneuvers required in battle. 

​This is what collection looks like. This horse is Fuego XII. He is a PRE too - just like me! He is one of the top dressage horses in the world today and represented Spain in the Olympics and at the World Equestrian Games. I grew up at the stud farm where he lives. He is my half brother - his sire (Dad) is my Dad too!

​Collection was also very important for a cavalry charge. The horses needed to maintain the same speed and stay in rank in order for the charge to be effective. The horses also needed to be maneuverable while being so close to each other; all of this was possible if the horse maintained collection

Much of dressage riding is done on a circle. While that may seem boring and silly, there really was (and still is) a purpose for this. The practice of riding figures teaches the horse and rider a feeling for tempo (speed), intervals and distance. Figure riding was a part of military training which taught riders how to maneuver and how to move as a group in an orderly fashion.
 
Lateral movements, that are used in dressage today, were very important in battle too. A horse would need to do a leg yield to move away from a swinging sword. A shoulder-in would allow the knight to use his lance more effectively against an advancing foe. Travers and renvers helped to place the horse in position for defense as well as offense. The half pass allowed the horse and rider to advance forward quickly as well as at an angle.
 

Today PRE horses are evaluated based on the horse’s conformation, movement and pedigree in relation to the strictly established breed goals. They look at things like the slope of the shoulder and the angle of the croup. These standards have been adhered to for hundreds of years! You can even watch a video all about how they measure PRE horses HERE  Can you see why the PRE was the choice mount for many kings in battle and was the original classical dressage horse?

The PRE is still successfully shown in dressage today. I am going to my first dressage show soon. I’d love to have you follow along with me on all of my adventures! I’ve been working very hard with my trainer to get ready for the show. She really likes me and laughs a lot when she rides me – I think that’s a good thing. My owner is helping to get me ready too; she bought me a new bridle and a new saddle pad to match my rosie color. She says I need to look good at the show even when I am schooling (that means practicing) so she bought me a saddle pad just for schooling – it has pink roses on it. Oh dear! What I won’t do to make my owner happy.
Looking forward to seeing you again soon!

 There was a horrible virus all around the world a few years ago. My humans were told to stay home as much as possible and practice "social distancing". My humans are used to being home all the time and doing all the farm chores and enjoying being with me and my barn buddies. Having horses is their hobby so they sure are not bored when they have to stay home. I've heard them say that they love it! 

But did you know that a little more than 100 years ago horses were not just a "hobby"? And for 6,000 years before that, horses were a necessity! HUMAN HISTORY WITHOUT THE HORSE…. INCONCEIVABLE!

 “A horse a horse! My kingdom for a horse!”  is a famous phrase from Act-V, Scene-IV of William Shakespeare’s play, Richard III. In the middle of The Battle of Bosworth field, King Richard’s horse is killed and he wanders for hours trying to find it.  Although used as a literary device, the phrase certainly captures the importance of horses at that time!


From the trade routes to the battlefield to the farm to the show ring, horses have been an important part of human history for over 6,000 years. It’s hard to imagine, in this age of cars and orbiting space stations, that a horse could be so important to human history. After all, how could an animal be smart enough or capable to be trained to be of such importance? Non-horse owners are often amazed to find out that horses have distinct personalities and that they are capable of communicating with people. Research has proven that horses do not just ‘behave’ without considering the consequence of their actions. They are able to create a mental plan to evaluate how much a person is paying attention to them and to modify their communicative strategy accordingly. Horses seem therefore able of creating a problem-solving strategy. The horse is indeed then, a fitting partner for humans throughout history!
 
So let’s take a short trip through 6,000 years of the importance of the horse in human history.

Imagine a world without a method to communicate other than transporting the message via human runners. Since there is no written documentation to determine if horses were ridden or driven first, we can only imagine some daring person deciding that getting on a horse or hooking a horse to something to pull might be a good idea – and not just to make a YouTube video that might go viral! Using horses for transportation changed the world much like computers and social media have changed the world. Horses and riders or horse-drawn carts could now cover huge distances at great speed. As a result, trade routes developed and cultures began to intermingle.
 
Archaeological evidence tells us that horses were domesticated about 5000 BC However, the first known written information about horses comes to us in 1345 BC from a Mitannian horse-master known as Kikkulis. His “Chariot Training Manual” laid out a detailed plan for training and caring for horses. Kikkulis understood that a well trained, athletic horse was what was needed to rival the mighty power of Egypt. He developed a new method of training called “interval training”. Horses would pace a league then run a furlong followed by rest and then more exercise. Each few days the horses were asked to do more than the day before and rest and feed were increased as needed. Many baths and grooming sessions were also included.
 
In 430 BC a Greek named Xenophon wrote “The Art of Horsemanship.” It is the first fully preserved manual on the art of riding horses. He differs from other ancient writers on the horse because he encouraged a mutual respect between man and horse. A horse trained with Xenophon’s methods was indeed fortunate. The Parthenon frieze (above)  is a high-relief marble sculpture created to adorn the upper part of the Parthenon's inner chamber. It was sculpted between c. 443 and 437 BC. Xenophon’s methods were very advanced for the time but he was still at a major disadvantage – he lacked a saddle! The first saddles constructed around solid trees first appeared during the Han dynasty in the year 200 BC. With the invention of the solid tree along came the invention of the stirrup as we know it today.  By 477 AD the stirrup was widespread across China and then spread into Europe. The saddle tree and the stirrup offered great support for the rider. Horses could now be used more effectively in battle. 

Through the centuries, countries and continents changed their ruling classes and borders many times via warfare on the back of a horse. In the 1500’s and 1600’s horsemanship was considered an art much the same as music, painting and literature. Great horse masters such as Antoine de Pluvinel and Francois Robichon de la Gueriniere brought a new enlightened approach to training horses to be used for general riding and for battle.  No nobleman’s education was considered complete until he acquired the art of equitation. Many of Francois Robichon de la Gueriniere methods used to train a horse for a nobleman to ride are still used today. The horses then needed to be stylish as well as responsive and were trained for battle so they needed to learn movements that allowed the rider to move and turn quickly as needed. Francois Robichon de la Guerinier had a very progressive schooling system. He often said that the “shoulder in is the alpha and omega of all exercises”. The goal was a horse that was light, obedient and calm. 

One of the most famous breeding and training programs using the methods of Francois Robichon de la Gueriniere was established in 1562 and is still in existence today. It is the Spanish Riding School in Vienna, Austria. (below) Here the high school moves of pirouette, piaffe, passage are taught along with the airs above the ground: lavade, courbette and capriole in imitation of those thought to be used in battle. 
            

Up from the South, at break of day,
Bringing to Winchester fresh dismay,
The affrighted air with a shudder bore,
Like a herald in haste to the chieftain's door,
The terrible grumble, and rumble, and roar,
Telling the battle was on once more,
And Sheridan twenty miles away.

And wider still those billows of war
Thundered along the horizon's bar;
And louder yet into Winchester rolled
The roar of that red sea uncontrolled,
Making the blood of the listener cold,
As he thought of the stake in that fiery fray,
With Sheridan twenty miles away.
But there is a road from Winchester town,
A good, broad highway leading down:
And there, through the flush of the morning light,
A steed as black as the steeds of night
Was seen to pass, as with eagle flight;
As if he knew the terrible need,
He stretched away with his utmost speed.
Hills rose and fell, but his heart was gay,
With Sheridan fifteen miles away.

Still sprang from those swift hoofs, thundering south,
The dust like smoke from the cannon's mouth,
Or the trail of a comet, sweeping faster and faster,
Foreboding to traitors the doom of disaster.
The heart of the steed and the heart of the master
Were beating like prisoners assaulting their walls,
Impatient to be where the battle-field calls;
Every nerve of the charger was strained to full play,
With Sheridan only ten miles away.

Under his spurning feet, the road
Like an arrowy Alpine river flowed,
And the landscape sped away behind
Like an ocean flying before the wind;
And the steed, like a barque fed with furnace ire,
Swept on, with his wild eye full of fire;
But, lo! he is nearing his heart's desire;
He is snuffing the smoke of the roaring fray,
With Sheridan only five miles away.

The first that the general saw were the groups
Of stragglers, and then the retreating troops;
What was to be done? what to do?--a glance told him both.
Then striking his spurs with a terrible oath,
He dashed down the line, 'mid a storm of huzzas,
And the wave of retreat checked its course there, because
The sight of the master compelled it to pause.
With foam and with dust the black charger was gray;
By the flash of his eye, and his red nostril's play,
He seemed to the whole great army to say:
"I have brought you Sheridan all the way
From Winchester down to save the day."

Hurrah! hurrah for Sheridan!
Hurrah! hurrah for horse and man!
And when their statues are placed on high
Under the dome of the Union sky,
The American soldier's Temple of Fame,
There, with the glorious general's name,
Be it said, in letters both bold and bright:
"Here is the steed that saved the day
By carrying Sheridan into the fight,
From Winchester--twenty miles away!"
​

America moved west with the help of horses.  Blazing trails and tilling fields, the horse was crucial to the growth of America. As America moved west horses were again the only means of communication – the train and telegraph came later. The riders of the Pony Express carried mail from Missouri to California in only 10 days!                
 
As America grew and developed the rest of the world moved at a fast pace too and soon the world was at war. When the World War I started, horses were still very much a part of warfare. But machine guns, tanks, trench warfare and barbed wire made using horses for cavalry charges impossible and dangerous. Horses still proved invaluable for moving equipment because the “new fangled” motorized vehicles were unreliable. Over 8 million horses died in World War I.
 
Unbelievable as it may seem, horses were still used in World War II. Horses were not stopped by mud, snow and hills like motorized vehicles. Germany was lacking in natural oil reserves and other than the panzer division, horses were used for the majority of the transportation. George Patton supposedly once remarked that had he been given cavalry in the war in North Africa, not a single German would have escaped the Allies.
 
After World War II the world changed at a rapid pace. In the United Sates the number of automobiles produced annually quadrupled between 1946 and 1955.

​Today horses are still used by people in some parts of the world for transportation and farming but for most people, owning a horse is a hobby rather than a necessity.
 
Horses are enjoyed today in a variety of disciplines. Most people are familiar with jumping, thoroughbred racing and rodeos because these activities are featured in movies, on TV and in books. There are many ways that people enjoy horses. Polo, Dressage, Carriage Driving, Endurance Riding, and Gymkhana are just a few of the many activities people enjoy with their horses. Many horses are, as some owners call them, “pasture ornaments,” and may take their owners for an occasional ride but for the most part, provide a nice view out the window.
 
It’s hard for us today to imagine being dependent on a horse but remember, horses have been around longer than cars and planes. Horses have played an important role in the history of the world! Whether ridden or driven, horses were the means by which cultures intermingled, people were able to share communications, wars were waged and nations developed. For many people, looking out the window at a horse in a pasture is a serene reminder of human history yet still the horse brings with it all the potential of more adventures and opportunities to come.

​Nothing can empty a building faster than someone yelling the word FIRE! The history of fires and firefighting is filled with unbelievable stories and fascinating facts The story is a tribute to the firefighters who developed innovations in the fight against fire and risked their lives in the line of duty.
Throughout history there have been many fires and many methods for putting out those fires. The “Great Fires” have several consistencies; the speed at which the fire spread, the difficulty in containing the fire and the struggle to extinguish the fire. Each fire brought changes in how cities were rebuilt from the ashes. Each fire also brought changes in firefighting methods. The growth of insurance companies and man’s resistance to change is very much a part of the story of firefighting. For a brief 60-year period between the introduction of the external combustion steam engine and the internal combustion automotive engine that replaced it, the fire horse was the hero of fighting fires!

MRS. O'LEARY'S COW - NOT GUILTY!

Aftermath of the Chicago fire of 1871

The Great Chicago Fire of 1871 started in a barn on the O’Leary property at 137 DeKoven Street, there is no evidence it was caused by the poor woman’s cow kicking over a lantern. That story was made up by newspaper reporter who later admitted he did so because he thought it made for more “colorful” copy. Modern researchers instead have come up with a hypothesis that it may have actually been started by a transient smoking in the barn and inadvertently setting the hay inside on fire. Most of the city’s buildings and sidewalks were made of wood and roofs were tar and shingles so the fire spread quickly.
​
THE EQUINE EPIZOOTIC EPIDEMIC OF 1872

​There were no horses to pull fire apparatus during the Boston fire of 1872.

​
Equine influenza is a highly contagious virus and can infect up to 100% of exposed horses. Fortunately, there is now an effective vaccination for equine influenza. In 1872 equine influenza spread across America from New England to California in only ninety days. All commerce ground to a halt. Coal could not be delivered for locomotives, men had to pull carts and wagons by hand and trains and ships could not be unloaded for delivery. The epizootic contributed to the financial panic of 1873. In Boston there was a great fire and, without horses to pull the fire apparatus vehicles, the fire destroyed 776 buildings across 65 acres of land, with the assessed value of the properties at nearly $13.5 million (about $290 million in 2021 dollars) and personal property loss of $60 million dollars (about $1.2 trillion in 2021 dollars).

SAN FRANCISCO EARTHQUAKE OF 1906 - EVERY DISASTER IMAGINEABLE

​The term “fire sale” may have originated in ancient Rome. There were many Great Fires in ancient Rome so it was just a matter of time that systems of insurance would develop. Marcus Licinius Crassus (115 BC – 53 BC) was one of the 10 wealthiest people of all time. When an area of Rome caught fire, Crassus’ firemen would arrive and do nothing to put out the fire. He would negotiate a price to pay for all the property threatened by the fire. The price would go down by the minute as the fire raged. Finally, when property owners agreed to sell at his “fire sale” prices would his fire fighters put out the fire.

​FIRE FIGHTS

Volunteer firefighters were the most virtuous members of the early American Republic. George Washington, Alexander Hamilton, John Hancock, Sam Adams and Paul Revere were all volunteer firefighters. American firefighting was initially a system of fraternal organizations. Eventually many of these groups were hired by insurance companies or they were volunteers who wanted to prove how tough and manly they were – probably not the best motivations for putting out fires. Volunteer fire companies raced each other to be the first to put water on a fire. Adversaries prevented other firefighters from getting to the scene too rapidly by “accidents” or they would recruit “plug-uglies” to disable the apparatus of their opponents. When different groups of firefighters met, they were more often ready to fight each other than to fight the fires. It was not unusual for a building to burn to the ground while two or more companies of firemen battled to see who should use the nearest hydrant or cistern. Violent brawls brought the attention of local gangs, which began associating themselves with firefighter units. In Philadelphia a gang called “The Killers” joined the Moyamensing Hose Company in the 1840s. In 1856 a confrontation in Baltimore resulted in 7 deaths. Eventually cities realized this was not the best way to fight fires. Cincinnati, Ohio was the first city in America to have a regular, civil fire department. It was the beginning of turning firefighters from a public menace into national heroes.
​
​THE ORIGIN OF THE FIRE PLUG

Until water mains were invented, firefighters had to rely on wells, rivers, ponds and reservoirs for water. If one of these wasn’t nearby, the building burned to the ground. In the late 1700s to early 1800s water mains were built in cities by using hollowed-out wood log pipes. The water mains leaked and clogged but they were better than nothing. These water mains were also used as a source of water to fight fires. Firefighters would dig down, find the log pipe and auger a hole into it. Water would fill the hole they had created by digging to get to the pipe thus creating a “wet well” that could be used for dipping buckets or pumping water out. After the fire was extinguished the pipe would be sealed with a wooden plug and the location marked in case of future need. This is where the term “fire plug” originated. Water officials say they believe that a handful of wooden water mains are still in use in South Dakota, Alaska and Pennsylvania, among other places.
​
​THE HORSE SAVES THE DAY

Starting in Cincinnati in the 1850s, every major city switched over to steam-powered fire engines. The steam engines were heavy. The tongue on the steam pumpers stuck out in front six feet. Many streets were not paved in those days and it took approximately 20 men to pull the steam engines with 7 or 8 more men pulling the hose cart. These steam pumpers were much too heavy for men to pull them to the fires in time to be useful so it seemed logical to use horses to pull the vehicles. At first there was resistance to the use of horses in America. All the apparatus in use had been especially designed and constructed to be drawn by hand. The substitution of horse power for man power in the department would have required so few men that the social and political features of the fire department would have been weakened. There would also have been a heavy expense involved as new apparatus would have to be purchased and appropriations made for the construction of stables, as well as to defray the cost of remodeling the houses and the cost of feed and harnesses and of course, horses. Not until paid departments were created did the horse have an established part in fire protection. The paid fire department came a few years before the Civil War. The typical horse -drawn “steamer” could throw as much as 900 gallons of water per minute the length of a football field. Firefighting was now faster and more efficient due to the speed and strength of the horse. To this day many fire departments fondly remember the first horse purchased by the fire department.
​
​TALL BUILDINGS AND SHORT LADDERS

​As buildings rose to 5, 7, and even 10 stories, firefighters had to figure out how to keep up. In 1882 the Fire Department of New York purchased French-made scaling ladders called Pompier Ladder; short ladders with hooks on one end that could be moved up floor by floor. The Pompier ladders were in use until 1996!

Although the horses transported the apparatus to the fire, the firefighters still arrived by foot. Eventually running boards were installed on the sides of the ladder trucks, making it possible for the firefighters to ride to the scene of the fire. The name “running boards” came from the fact that they took the place of firefighters running to the fire. This improved a firefighter’s ability to fight the fire once he arrived, no longer exhausted from the run.

THE INSURANCE PATROL

In the early days of firefighting, insurance companies and fire departments worked together at a fire scene. Fire patrols were organized by insurance companies to cover a neighborhood and report any fires that occurred, inspect buildings for fire hazards, and work with the fire department to prevent loss of life and property. Patrol wagons were equipped with rubber blankets to protect property from water damage, fire extinguishers, and buckets to squelch small fires and would pump water from cellars and mop it up from roofs after the fire was extinguished.
​
THE QUICK HITCH HARNESS

Harnessing a horse takes time. Harnessing the many horses needed to pull all of the vehicles to a fire was very time consuming. Many fire chiefs and firemen invented various versions of a quick hitch harness; of these, the harnesses invented by George Hale and Charles Berry are the best known. The entire harness was attached to pole and whiffletrees and held high above the floor upon a swinging frame, operated by a pulley which permitted it to be lowered instantly, the frame swinging upward as soon as it was tripped by the harness dropping upon the animal's back. Two motions harnessed a horse-the thrust of the open collar together, another movement of both hands simultaneously snapping reins into the bit rings. When the driver leaped to his seat and seized the lines, they were ready to roll out of the firehouse at great speed.
​
​BELLS AND GONGS

Prior to horse-drawn fire vehicles, men would run in the streets with bells or bugles to clear the way for the firemen and apparatus. When horses were first used to pull fire vehicles, there were already so many tinkling bells on various vehicles in the streets that loud, gong type bells were put on fire vehicles. These were often mounted on the floor board and activated by a foot pedal.
​
​SLIDING POLE

In 1880 the Boston Fire Department installed its first brass pole and it became a standard for fire stations across the United States shortly thereafter. The majority of firehouses in the nineteenth century were two or three stories. Typically, the horse-drawn fire carriages and horses would occupy the first floor, the second floor would be the firefighters’ sleeping quarters, and, in some cases, a third floor would serve as a hay bale storage unit to feed the animals. Often, when the firemen cooked meals on the second floor, curious horses would ascend the stairs into the living quarters; as horses typically don't descend stairs, they would then be stuck there. To solve this issue, firehouses began installing narrow spiral staircases that the animals couldn’t access. This, however, led to a more pressing issue: when an alarm rang, anywhere from ten to twenty firefighters would all have to simultaneously scramble down these narrow, spiral staircases to get below. This impeded response times when every second counted. The firepole saved valuable minutes.
​
​OUT OF THE STATION IN 45 SECONDS!

At the first clang of the gong the men slid down the pole and the station doors opened, lights came on and stall doors were automatically released. The trained horses trotted to their apparatus and backed into position under their harness – they were in position before all of the men were down the pole. The engineer lifted the damper, flipped a match into the boiler furnace, ignited the wood shavings or kerosene-soaked cotton waste and they were out of the firehouse. Most companies could leave the station in 45 seconds! Smoke, sparks, gongs and horses racing to the fires was thrilling to watch! Horses galloped at full speed through the congested traffic, often on slippery streets. They had to navigate trolley tracks, mud, ice, snow and tight corners. Frequently scores of youngsters, running and on bikes, followed the engines.
​
FIRE DEPARTMENT DOGS

During the long hours at the fire, horses were required to stand patiently despite the heat, flames, sparks, flying glass, steamer smoke, whistles, bells, more galloping horses arriving, yelling men, screaming people, crashing walls, icy spray in their faces and milling spectators. Dogs often travelled with the fire departments to stay with the horses in order to guard them. Most stations had mutts but Dalmatians were often seen. When the fire department left the station in route to a fire, the dogs were the first out the door, barking at people in the road to move them to safety. Once the wagon was in the road and rolling to the fire, the dogs would make sure the wagon never had to stop for pedestrians. Dogs were the first sirens. Once they arrived, there was still the matter of the fire and how the horses reacted to it. Often fire is scary for animals, but the presence of the dogs would ease the stress of the situation on the horses. Guarding the wagons from theft was another job they had once the fire department arrived.
​
​HORSE COLLEGE

Most horses in fire departments had “on the job” training. In the firehouse, horses were trained to respond to the alarm by repeating the process of ringing the alarm, putting the horse in position and putting on the harness. Horses were teamed with experienced horses when it came time to pull apparatus. Detroit however, had a “Horse College” to train and care for their horses; the horse college was well known and widely respected.
​HORSE NO. 12 - WASHINGTON DC

n March 30, 1890, in Washington, D.C., a hose cart and a heavy steam engine collided when racing to a fire yet, they were able to continue on their way to the fire. The driver of the hose cart noticed that one of his two-horse team, Horse No. 12, was limping. When they arrived at the fire. the driver made a shocking discovery. The animal had lost its left rear foot, apparently run over and cut off in the collision with the heavy engine. Despite this, the valiant horse had galloped to the fire—nearly a mile. Through the tears of attending fire fighters and policemen, the horse was quickly put down. Conditioned by the chaos of the city's emergencies the horse did his job. The horse was lauded as an "equine hero". Cauterized and preserved with a coat of shiny black enamel, the hoof of Horse No. 12 lived on as a memorial in the District of Columbia Fire Department. The Smithsonian exhibited the hoof as a loan, and later accepted it as a gift through the department’s chief engineer. Its placement in the museum, perpetuates the bravery and devotion of Horse No, 12.
​
ONCE A FIRE HORSE ALWAYS A FIRE HORSE

A milkman was unaware his old horse had been a member of a fire department until one day an engine passed as he was delivering milk on the Bowery. Instantly the animal took off behind the steamer, while milk cans flew out of the milk wagon.

Tom a horse in the city of New York Fire Department had served so well that they granted him a pension, specifying that he be kept in his own station. But Tom was not ready to retire. When the alarm would sound he would vigorously kick his stall and would hurry to his harness and then when led aside he would return slowly and voluntarily to his stall.

​WORLD’S FAIR FIREFIGHTING EXHIBITION

There was a very popular exhibit at the 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair featuring firefighting. The attraction was operated by George Hale, legendary Kansas City Fire Chief. He was quite the celebrity after receiving first prize at the 1893 International Fire Tournament in London where he astonished the world with the amazing time of hitching his two horses in less than 15 seconds. The building at the Fair contained a 5,000-seat auditorium. The show began with information on how the fire wagons worked as well as draft horses leaping through special effects fire. The set switched to a New York City street and illustrated how the brave firefighters were alerted, responded and dealt with a 6-story building fire. The interesting fact for this attraction was that there was no fire used in this spectacle. It was all done with special effects. At the end, the building collapsed after the rescue of its inhabitants. After the show, the crowd gazed at a collection of old and new firefighting equipment. New York sent 2 fire wagons once pumped by George Washington and Benedict Arnold.

​RESITANCE TO A MOTORIZED FIRE DEPARTMENT

In 1911 the following “ad” was placed in the New York Times: “Once more, the picturesque is to yield to the utilitarian. That thrilling sight – three plunging horses drawing engine or hook and ladder – one of the few thrilling sights to be seen in our prosaic streets, is soon to become a thing of the past. Within the next five or six years, there will not be a fire horse in Greater New York. The gasoline motor will do the work of these old favorites.” As much as there was resentment to the horses being brought into the firehouse, there was even more resentment to them being replaced by motorized vehicles. Many cities held “last runs” through the city streets and thousands of people came to say a sad farewell to the horses. As Loula Long Combs wrote in her book, My Revelation,
“I wish I had the great gift of a painter of word pictures that I might be able to give you a faint idea of the most thrilling of all horse-drawn vehicles, the fire engine. It thrilled the very young as well as the very old. In the language of today, you who have never seen a horse-drawn fire engine, aint seen nuthin.”
"There is nothing to it anymore. When they took the horses away, the pep and fun went out of the department. It was the sorriest day in our history.” quoted one Baltimore fireman who quit the day the horses left the station.
To learn more about the amazing early history of firefighting , you can read a book that I did the research for: The Fire Horse: A Historic Look at Horses and Firefighting