Timeline of the Development of the Horse

by
Beverley Davis

Except possibly for the dog, no animal has contributed more to humanity than the horse. It has fed and sheltered us, and provided us with clothing and transportation; it has been both worshipped as a god and slaughtered to appease the gods. No one could write the entire history of the horse, but the facts gathered here may make it easier to understand horses and the importance they once had for us.

Beverley Davis

BJB75149@aol.com

Glossary

* indicates an imported breed.

ApHC:
Appaloosa Horse Club
AQHA:
American Quarterhorse Association
BCE:
Before the Common Era
BLM:
Bureau of Land Management (U.S. Department of the Interior)
Carousel:
A riding extravaganza at the French court; gave its name to the fairground ride
Cataphract:
A heavily-armored cavalryman
CE:
In the Common Era
Glaciation:
A period when glaciers were on the land
Hand:
Unit of measure for the height of a horse: four inches
mtDNA:
Mitochondrial DNA
MYA:
Million years ago
NCO:
Non-commissioned Officer
Overo:
A type of spotted horse characterized by having no white across the back (See tobiano)
Petrogylph:
Rock art created by incising, pecking, carving, and abrading the rock surface
ProtoArab:
Any one of a number of ancient breeds that contributed to the development of the Arabian horse
QH:
Quarterhorse
Red corn:
A roan horse with appaloosa markings
Remount:
A horse requisitioned for the U.S. Army
Sabino:
A type of pinto horse, often roan-based
Scalae:
Predecessors of stirrups
SMR:
Spanish Mustang Registry
Taki:
Mongolian name for the 66-chromosome horse
Tobiano:
A type of spotted horse characterized by having white across the back (See overo)
Tovero:
A horse that is half overo, half tobiano (See overo, tobiano)
TWHBEA:
Tennessee Walking Horse Breed registry designator

Timeline of the Development of the Horse

Years Before the Common Era

strat

Stratus Map for the Evolution of the Horse courtesy of Dr. Bruce MacFadden, University of Florida

75 million BCE

55 million BCE

eohippus_PragueCh[1]

Eohippus from Prague, Czechoslovakia

53 million BCE

37–32 million BCE

32–25 million BCE

24–19 million BCE

24–17 million BCE

21–13 million BCE

17–11 million BCE

16–5 million BCE

15–11 million BCE

13–5 million BCE

12–6 million BCE

10 million BCE

5 million BCE

2 million BCE

1.5 million BCE

1 million BCE

650,000 BCE

200,000 BCE

136,000 BCE

74,000 BCE

40,000 BCE

lascaux_horse

Lascaux Horse

32,000–12,000 BCE

18,000–16,500 BCE

ivoryhorsehead

Ivory Horse Head

16,000–15,000 BCE

Peche Merle hands

The horses of Peche-Merle

12,000 BCE

10,000 BCE

8000 BCE

6000–4000 BCE

5960 BCE

5700 BCE

3000 BCE

2675–2565 BCE

2500 BCE

battlescenefromUr

Royal Standard of Ur

2000 BCE

celtichorsemeninart

Celtic Horsemen in Art

1900–1800 BCE

Hittite_horse_Metropolitanmuseumofart

Hittite chariot team from Metropolitan Museum of Art

1800 BCE

1759 BCE

Userhathuntingredhorses

Userhat hunting with red and white chariot horses

1750 BCE

1700 BCE

1650 BCE

horse_effigy

Horse effigy from ancient Armenia

1620–1590 BCE

1500 BCE

1415 BCE

1400 BCE

horse_goddess Epona Chris Hopkins

Epona, Celtic Horse goddess courtesy of Chris Hopkins, Parthia.com

1360 BCE

1350 BCE

1318–1304 BCE

1307–1275 BCE

1300 BCE

1286 BCE

KingTutchariot

King Tut chariot horses similar to the ones Ramses used

1200 BCE

1200–900 BCE

1170 BCE

1110 BCE

1100 BCE

1074 BCE

1000 BCE

Etruscan_terracotta_horses

Etruscan terracotta art

885 BCE

865–727 BCE

BDlionhorseAssyrianridinghorse

Assyrian saddle horses

860 BCE

850 BCE

assyrianhorses

Hunting lions from a chariot

814 BCE

800 BCE

horsesofacilles

Horses of Achilles, classical Greek Art

745 BCE

717 BCE

710 BCE

700 BCE

680 BCE

agreektethrippon-MET

A Three Horse Tethrippon

645–635 BCE

onager1

Onagers were also once common in North America

634 BCE

631 BCE

625 BCE

624 BCE

616–579 BCE

circusplan

Plan for the Circus Maximus

614 BCE

612 BCE

600 BCE

590 BCE

580 BCE

573 BCE

529 BCE

529–530 BCE

525 BCE

521 BCE

520 BCE

Spartanhorses_on_Vix_Krater

Spartan horses on the Vix krater

509 BCE

481 BCE

479 BCE

416 BCE

pintohorseinCorinthianart

Corinthian race horses included tobiano pintos

415 BCE

396 BCE

390 BCE

362 BCE

356–330 BCE

Greek_horses

Athenian horsemen from the Parthenon

350 BCE

334 BCE

Bucephalus_coin

A Greek coin depicting Bucephalus

328 BCE

300 BCE

Mamshit_stables___The_Jerusalem_Post_Internet_edition

Mamshit stables courtesy of the Jerusalem Internet Post edition

268 BCE

247 BCE

241 BCE

228 BCE

221 BCE

QinShiHuangterracottahorses

Terra cotta horses from the first emperor Qin’s burial mound

219 BCE

218 BCE

206 BCE

201 BCE

176 BCE

146 BCE

145–125 BCE

144 BCE

141 BCE

139 BCE

130 BCE

128–127 BCE

123 BCE

122 BCE

111 BCE

flying horse

Flying horse

103 BCE

Night_Shining_White

Night Shining White by Han Gan

96 BCE

84 BCE

79–23 BCE

75 BCE

54 BCE

52 BCE

50 BCE

Locomotion_icon

Locomotion, a modern ambling Spanish Colonial Horse
Owned by Vickie Ives of Karma Farms, Texas

46 BCE

45 BCE

36 BCE

6 BCE

AdorationoftheMagic

Adoration of the Magi – Renaissance horses resemble the ancient Persian breed

 


In the Common Era

7

leontius_throws_his_rider_in_tunisia

North African mosaic shows a fine if spirited riding horse

28

36

40–41

45

48

jadehorseHan_dynasty

Jade horse from the Han Dynasty

55–120

58

61

63

67

71

73

79

80

91

98

Saka_horseman

A Saka horseman, Chris Hopkins at Parthia.com

99

100

103

106

111–114

115

116

120

125

135

153

181

186

193–235

200

206–268

224

259

king_horsel

Persian shah on a large Nisean stallion

269

271

286

300

302

304

330

337–351

339

bassus_mosaic1

Bassus mosaic

346

363

364

378

Map_of_Adrianople

Map used with permission from North Park University, Chicago

389–395

390

394

396

400

406–453

410

415

425

428

Africanmosaic

Mosaic from a Vandal villa

439

440

450

451

453

454

469

484

490

518

Roman_chariot_team[1]

Roman racing team – The Reds

529

530

533

534

535

548

551

555

561

580

584

599

600

610–620

618

Tang_horse

Tang Dynasty horse

620

624

636

651

693

697

700

711

718

720–722

731–741

732

751

776

777

780

hangan02

A Groom and Two Horses by  Han Gan

791

800

844

868

874–930

895

930

970

988

995

200px_Basilios_II

Icon of Basil II

997

1010

takht_e_soleyman600_448

Takh-e-Soleyman

1012

1040

1064

1066

1075

1098

1099

1100–1135

1134

Neapolitan_horse

A beautiful Neapolitan horse

1147

1172

1188

1191

275px_Richard_I_of_England___Palace_of_Westminster_Carlo_Marochetti

Statue of Richard I, Westminster by Carlo Marochetti

1201

1206

1216

1222

0520_GenghisKhan

Is this the face of Genghis Khan?

1223

1225

PersianConquest3byMongols

Persian conquest by the Mongols

1227

Przewalski

Takis in a paddock

1240

1244

1270

1276

1298

1301

1309

1314

1316

1325

1333

1360

1377

1378

1421

1453

1458

1462

1474–1516

Queen_Isabella_on_a_medicine_hat

Queen Isabella on a pinto horse

1476

1492

1494

1495

1498

1500

1501

1502

1505

1508

1509

1510

1511

1514

1518

1519–1530

1520

1521

1523

1524

1526

1527

1528

1529

1530

1531

1534–1535

1535

1537

1539

1540

1541

1544

1546

Chetak

The great stallion Chetak

1547

1548–1572

1549

1550

1551

1554

1555

1557

1558

1560

1562

1565

1566–1567

1566–1576

1567

1567–1570

1568

1570

1571

1572

1573

1574

1576

Leopard_Noriker

An extremely rare leopard Noriker

1580

1583

1585

1586

1590–1610

1592–1676

1593

1600

1604

1607

1609–1614

1610

1611

1612

1615

1616–1619

1616

1620

1621–1623

1623

1624

1625

1628

sonsofshahjahan

The sons of Shah Jahan

1629

1630

1632

1634

1635

1637–1641

1640–1880

1643

1647

1648

1650

1653

1654

1658

1660

1664

1665

1667

1668

1670

1671

Danish_spotted_horse

Danish Tiger Horse

1673

1674

1675

1676

1680

Comanche_onhorseback

Comanche on horseback

1682

1683

1685

1686

1687

1688

ByerleyTurk_300

The Byerley Turk

1689

1690

1692

1693

1694

1695–1705

1697

1698

1699

1700

1704

DarleyArabian_300

The Darley Arabian

1706

1708

1710–1713

1711

1715

1716

1717

1718

1719

1720

1722

1723

1724

1725

1727

1729

GodolphinArabian_300

The Godolphin Barb

1730

1731

1732

1734

1735

1736

1737

1738

1739

1740

1743

1744

1745

1746

1747

1748

1749

1750

1752

1755

1756

1757–1758

1758

1759

1760

1761

1763

1764

1765

Eclipse300tbchampion

The great English Thoroughbred, Eclipse

1765–1775

1766

GeorgeWashingtonBlueSkin_John_Faed_1899

George Washington on Blue Skin

John Faed, 1899

1767

1768

1769

1770

1771

1773

1774

1775

1776

LadyConaway_s_Spanish_Jennet_by_JohnWooten

John Wooten was a popular eighteenth century painter
This one is entitled Lady Conaway’s Spanish Jennet

1777

Count_Orlov_and_Bar_I_Russian_Orlov

Count Orlov and Bars I

1779

1780–1781

1782

1783

1785

1786

Tam3

Tang_Dynastyhorse

Tambourine Man, descended from Choctaw ponies, is compared to a T’ang Dynasty Heavenly Horse. Owned by Vickie Ives of Karma Farms, Marshall, Texas

1787

1788

1789

1790

1791

1793

1794

1795

1796

1797

1798

1799

1800

1802

1803–1814

1804–1805

1806

1807

1808

1810

1812–1813

kalmy_don_kozaks_200

Kalmy Don Cossacks

1814

AmericanEclipseCurrier_Ives

American Eclipse by Currier and Ives

1815

96630BlucherandWellington

Blucher and Wellington

1816

1817

1818

1819

1820

1821

1823

1824

1825

1826

1827

1828

1829

1830

1831

1833

1834

1836

BlackHawk

Lithograph of Black Hawk

1837

1838

1839

1840

1843

1844

1845

1847

1848

1849

1850

1850–1860

IMG004

A modern Spanish mustang owned by the author

1851

1852

1853

1854

1855

1856

1857

leeontraveller

Robert E. Lee on Traveler

1858

1859

1860

1861–1865

sjltlsorrel_289x255

General Stonewall Jackson’s Little Sorrell

1862

1863

1864

Cinncinati of US Grant LOC

Cinncinati

sheridan and reinzi library of congress

Phil Sheridan poster

1865

quagga

The Last Quagga

1866

1867

1868

1869

1870

1871

1872

firehorses

Fire horses to the rescue

1873

1874–1875

1876

Comanche, Library of Congress

Cavalry horse, Comanche, Library of Congress

1877

1878

1879

LindenTreeConn

Linden Tree

1880

1881

Takhi__UN

Przewalski – UN photo

1882

1883

1884–1885

1885

Norweigenponydunoldtype

Old type Norwegian Fjord Horse

1886

1887

1888

1889

NapoleonandBuffaloBill

Buffalo Bill Poster with Napoleon included

1890

1891

Babeweb3JohnandPollyAlton

Babe, an American Saddlebred owned by John and Polly Alton

1892

1893

40234933lgClydesdales

Clydesdales photographed by Laura Lancione

1894

HeadlightMorganMAC1

The Headlight Morgan, an early Morgan stallion

1895

1897

1898

1899

1900

1901

1902

painting_of_Dan_Patch

Painting of Dan Patch

1902–1905

1903

1904

1905

1906

1907

ibrahim

1908

1909

polo_American_vs_English

A polo game between Americans and British

1911

1912

chasingPanchoVilla

Chasing Pancho Villa – Library of Congress

1913

1914

Warhorses_WWI

Horses in use during World War One

1915

oldbones

Exterminator, also known as Old Bones

1916

1917

pictures_by_Dale_durfee

Beautiful Marwaris photographed by Dale Durfee

1918

6th Austalian Lighthorse Regiment 1918

6th Australian Light Horse Regiment in Palestine

1919

1920

1921

1922

1923

1924

1925

1926

Pharlap

 

 

 

 

The Great Australian Phar Lap

1927

1928

1929

1930

1931

1932

1933

1934

1935

1936

1937

1938

greyhound

The great trotter Greyhound

1939

1940

Rusty's Midnight Ryder QH Kevin's

Rusty’s Midnight Ryder,
American Quarterhorse owned by J.K. Harper

1941

1942

1943

1944

1945

Alois Podhjasky

Alois Podhajsky

patg001

General Patton

1946

1947

1948

1949

1950

mountainzebra

A mountain zebra

1951

1953

1954

1955

1956

1957

1958

1959

1960

adiosbutler

Adios Butler, permission granted by the people who loved him

1961

1962

1963

1964

1965

1966

1967

1968

1969

1970

HebrideanponyBerra

Old type Hebrides pony
Library of Congress

1971

1972

Ruffian

The great Ruffian

1973

1974

1975

1976

1977

1978

1979

1980

1981

1982

1983

1984

1986

1987

1988

1989

1990

1992

1993

1994

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

RowdyYates_icon

Rowdy Yates, a champion Spanish Mustang
Owned by Vickie Ives of Marshall, Texas

2005

This essay was originally published in August 2007 as issue no. 177 of Sino-Platonic Papers and is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.5 License.

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