HOW CIVILIZATIONS SHAPED THEIR HORSE BREEDS ?

The concept of a “horse breed,” as we understand it today, is relatively recent. Yet long before the emergence of modern studbooks, many civilizations had already shaped distinct equine lineages by selecting horses according to their needs, their environment, and their cultural vision. Across continents and eras, these choices produced types of horses suited for war, travel, agriculture, prestige, and trade.

1. Selections based on environment and local needs

The earliest distinctions between horses appeared when human populations settled in regions with contrasting climates. Each civilization then favored specific qualities

Steppe horses

The horse-centred peoples of Central Asia (Scythians, Huns, Turks, Mongols) sought horses that were:

• resistant to cold,
• able to travel long distances,
• efficient on limited feed.

These criteria gradually shaped compact, hardy, enduring horses.

Desert horses

In the Arabian Peninsula, harsh arid conditions led to the selection of animals that were:

• light,
• fast,
• efficient in water use,
• closely bonded with humans.

This process formed the type that would later become the Arabian horse.

Mountain horses

Civilizations living in the Caucasus, Anatolia, or the Balkans selected horses that were:

• agile,
• sure-footed,
• able to handle difficult terrain.

These selections produced mountain-type horses that still exist today.

2. The role of warfare in shaping lineages

Warfare was one of the major forces driving equine selection. Military needs varied greatly from one civilization to another, resulting in very different types of horses.

Heavy cavalry: strength and power

In the Iranian world, in Greece, or in the later Roman Empire, cataphracts — fully armored cavalry — required horses capable of carrying heavy loads.

These cultures favored horses that were:

• large,
• muscular,
• with a strong neck and solid frame.

Light cavalry: agility and endurance

Nomadic cavalries, in contrast, prioritized speed, maneuverability, and endurance. The horse became an extension of the rider, capable of rapid directional changes and long-distance travel.

Chariot horses

In Egypt, the Near East, and China, horses selected to pull war chariots needed:

• good coordination,
• aptitude for paired work,
• a combination of speed and steadiness.

These demands produced light, fast, elegant lineages.

3. The influence of political and religious structures

In many civilizations, equine selection was not purely practical: it also reflected social organization and belief systems.

Royal and prestige horses

In imperial China, the Persian Empire, Mughal India, or medieval Europe, rulers maintained elite stud farms.

They favored horses with:

• noble movement,
• harmonious conformation,
• valued coat colors,
• a temperament that was calm yet energetic.

These breeding programs often produced the ancestors of today’s renowned breeds, such as Andalusian horses and certain oriental lineages.

Ritual and symbolic horses

Some cultures attributed religious roles to horses:

• sacred Celtic horses,
• Indo-European white horses,
• Scythian funerary sacrifices,
• solar horses in various mythologies.

Ritual constraints sometimes influenced the selection of specific coats, morphologies, or temperaments.

4. Exchanges between civilizations: a decisive factor

The spread of horses often followed the great trade and military routes:

• the Silk Road,
• the Maghreb caravan routes,
• Arab conquests,
• Turkish and Mongol expansions.

These exchanges led to:

• crossbreeding,
• lineage migrations,
• the introduction of new qualities into distant regions.

For instance, oriental horses imported into Europe between the 16th and 18th centuries profoundly influenced many local types.

5. From empirical selection to modern studbooks

Until the 19th century, equine selection remained largely empirical. Breeders reproduced the horses that best suited their needs, without standardized criteria.

The emergence of studbooks formalized these practices through:

• precise descriptions of standards,
• rigorous recording of lineages,
• the introduction of examinations, approvals, and performance tests.

These systems did not create the breeds, but they organized and preserved selections that were already centuries old.

Conclusion

Each civilization shaped its horses according to its environment, needs, beliefs, and interactions with neighboring peoples. From these choices emerged lineages with marked characteristics: the light horses of the deserts, the sturdy mountain types, the swift horses of the steppes, the powerful mounts of heavy cavalry.The history of civilizations is inseparable from the horses they selected, and modern breeds still carry the traces of these ancient influences.