Encyclopedia of the Horse (Paperback)

Man's best friend is said to be the dog, and a case can be made for many other animals as to which has been most important to man--the cow, the deer, the bison. But before the age of steam, only one animal provided speedy personal transportation on land, thereby improving food gathering, industry, communication, agriculture, and success in warfare. It was the speed and strength of the horse that gave us mobility and a "nobility "we never had before.
How did man first domesticate the horse? We don't know--but what is certain is that around nine thousand years ago, the hunter-gatherers of western Asia began to alter their way of life. They started keeping flocks of smaller live animals until they finally turned to horses. With domestication came breeding, for obedience as well as hardiness and ease of feeding. Horses were bred specially for the work demanded of them, a process that continues to this day.
In 1492 Columbus discovered the New World, and as he and successive waves of conquistadors claimed it for Spain and Christendom, the horse was gradually introduced to the Americas. It was to play a huge part in the development of the continent. The legacy of the western horse--from the American Indian pony to the mounts of the Seventh Cavalry--lives on in our national consciousness to this day.
The ENCYCLOPEDIA OF THE HORSE is a spectacular introduction to the world of the horse, equestrianism, horse care and management, breeds, and horse and pony types. It includes an invaluable and comprehensive glossary of equine terminology.