Horses in History Bibliography: Animal Welfare Information Center You are here: Home / Publications / Bibliographies and Resource Guides / Horses in History Bibliography AWIC Resource Series No. 44 August 2009 To The Horse* In Passing let us give a moment of adulation to THE HORSE. How vitally has he been a part of the history, wars and romance of nations. With that intrepid courage has he stormed over the most sanguinary battlefields! What wise or stupid or noble or tyrannical rulers has he served with equal patience, endurance and steadfastness? What great lovers has he borne swiftly to their tryst? But a few years gone we were told that the day approached that marked his banishment from those realms wherein he has reigned supreme for thousands of years, and lo! he is now even more securely enthroned. Nature smiled and opened a generous hand when she gave to man THE HORSE. Should we not cherish him, nourish his fiery strength, lead him to sweet water, and when his eyes have dimmed and only his great heart leaps with undying ardor, humbly care for him until he reaches that pasture of eternal green that God reserved for man’s noblest friend. James A. Watson, Major U.S. Army *Forward to the book: Harrison, Jack (1933). Famous Saddle Horses and Distinguished Horsemen - A Historical Narrative and Personal Rememberences, St. Louis, 448 p. NAL Call Number: 42 H242. Table of Contents About this Document Introduction Bibliography by Author's Last Name A-C D-L M-T U-Z USDA Publications, 1863-1955 Selected Websites About this Document The equine related books, reports, etc. listed in this compilation are in the collection of the National Agricultural Library (NAL). They are mostly from the older materials in the collection and some are from the “rare book” collection. Most items listed are from English or American publishers. The titles chosen are in English and are from 1600s to 1980. The authors attempted to list books on a wide variety of topics related to equines: the development of the Thoroughbred horse in England, veterinary care, horse management, horses, mules, asses, wild horses, and burros in the American West, equines in the military, various types http://www.nal.usda.gov/awic/pubs/HorseHistory/horsehistory.shtml[9/1/2015 11:55:48 AM] Horses in History Bibliography: Animal Welfare Information Center and breeds of horses, racers, trotters, horses in competition, training horses, etc. The citation for each published item includes the author, title, publisher, NAL call number, and descriptors. Many citations also include links to a full text version of the document available online. The descriptors provide a brief/general description of the content of the piece. Some books cover many topics and can only be described in general terms. The compilation is not a comprehensive listing, but a sampling of a very comprehensive collection of equine related documents at NAL. Hopefully, the items referenced will satisfy those who are interested in reading about these animals from a personal interest point of view as well as those who are interested in more in-depth research. Most of the books are available on library loan, but some documents can only be used on site as they are in the rare and valuable books collection. The library is open to the public during the week and anyone is welcome to come and use the general collection or make arrangements to use the rare books. Information about Visiting the Library and Requesting Library Materials is available on the NAL web site. Enjoy, Jean Larson Compiled by: Judith Ho, Jean Larson, and Kristina M. Adams USDA. NAL. Animal Welfare Information Center. Back to Top Last Modified: Monday, 16-Jun-2014 11:40:43 EDT AWIC Home | NAL Home | USDA | AgNIC | ARS | Web Policies and Important Links | RSS Feeds | Site Map FOIA | Accessibility Statement | Privacy Policy | Non-Discrimination Statement | Information Quality | USA.gov | White House http://www.nal.usda.gov/awic/pubs/HorseHistory/horsehistory.shtml[9/1/2015 11:55:48 AM] Horses in History Bibliography, Introduction: Animal Welfare Information Center You are here: Home / Publications / Bibliographies and Resource Guides / Horses in History Printer Friendly Page Bibliography / Introduction << Table of Contents << Previous | Next >> Introduction - A Horse is a Horse By Kristina Adams, Technical Information Specialist USDA. NAL. Animal Welfare Information Center. The U. S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the National Agricultural Library (NAL) got underway in the late 1800’s, when horsepower was at its height to assist farmers. Consequently, NAL contains many books and other collections related to horses. This bibliography on horses in history is an attempt to give the reader an idea of the nature and scope of these collections. It does not list every title and collection on horses in the library, but tries to list some of the more important ones. The collection includes books on the history of different breeds, breeding techniques, farrier or blacksmith skills, health and veterinary medicine, and general horsemanship. Additionally, many texts contain beautiful drawings and pictures or original poems. Some of the texts are now digitized and being made available through such sources as the National Agricultural Library Digital Collections (NALDC), Google Book Search, and the Internet Archive. When possible, links to the digitized versions are provided. Note: This introduction is not meant to be comprehensive. Rather, it touches on some of the interesting information about horses that the compilers learned while exploring the NAL collection. Early History Studies about the evolution of the horse helped shape our understanding of long-term evolution in an animal species.1,2 Horses were first domesticated in the central Eurasian steppes about 6000 years ago according to estimations. Archaeologists found early bridles dating to 4000 BC in Eastern Europe as well as antler cheek-pieces and toggles for mouth pieces north of the Black Sea. Initially, these animals were used for food but at some point their strength was directed towards being led carrying goods, ridden to help hunt game and engage in warfare, and driven to work in the fields.3 By 500 BC, horses and their ability to carry men great distances at a quick speed had begun making their way into legend. In the Near East, small horses were used for pulling chariots and carrying goods. Most horse people will tell you that these Arabian horses were the first modern riding horse, although the breed’s exact origins remain a mystery. Marguerite Henry’s tale of the Godolphin Arabian in King of the Wind,4 highlighted the stamina, spirit, and intelligence of these horses. While some authors, such as Spencer Borden5 and William Ridgeway6 suggested that Arabians originated in Africa (Libya specifically), it is commonly believed that Arabians were developed by nomadic Bedouin people in desert environments somewhere on the Arabian peninsula. Bedouin horse breeders kept meticulous records of their horses in order to keep bloodlines pure. One of the oldest texts providing a complete discourse on horse care, health, and training was written by Xenophon between the years 431 and 350 BC in Greece. The title is translated into English as “On Horsemanship”7 and the information he provided, although geared toward the development of warhorses, continues to serve as a basis for horse selection, management and training today in all areas of horsemanship. Xenophon’s love and respect for horses was evident in http://www.nal.usda.gov/awic/pubs/HorseHistory/intro.shtml[9/1/2015 11:56:56 AM] Horses in History Bibliography, Introduction: Animal Welfare Information Center his writings. For example, a translation of one of his writings is “A horse is a thing of beauty... none will tire of looking at him as long as he displays himself in his splendor.” Note: Since Xenophon’s time, many other books have been written about the selection, training, and care of horses. Texts of authors such as Margaret Cabell Self (horseback riding), James Harvey Sanders and John Wall (horse breeding), Daniel Rupp, W.C. Spooner and Edward Snape (farriery), and John Henry Walsh and Wiliam Youatt (horse health and care) are available in the collection of the National Agricultural Library. Riding horses opened up the world to humans who could now travel further and faster than they could while using an ox-cart. Horses played a pivotal role in the ability of Alexander the Great and his armies to conquer millions of square miles between 330 and 323 BC. Alexander the Great’s horsemanship skills were well known. In one story, vividly retold in the 1979 movie The Black Stallion (based on a Walter Farley book8 by the same name), horse traders brought a fiery horse named Bucephalus into a ring to be shown as a prospect to King Philip II, Alexander the Great’s father.9 King Philip expressed no interest after seeing the wild horse, but Alexander asked for the horse if he could tame it. Amid much laughter from the crowd, Alexander soothed the The Taming of horse, tamed it, and together they survived many battles. Bucephalus by Andre Castaigne Horse Collars and Stirrups During the Medieval period, people increasingly used horses for ploughing at the same time they continued riding them. During this period, horsemen developed a few items that are indispensible today, including the stirrup, horse collar, and nailed horseshoe. The stirrup provided extra security and comfort for the rider, the horse collar allowed horses to pull loads with great efficiency, and the nailed horseshoe permitted riders to travel large distances. Horses were important to individuals and entire countries in terms of their use in warfare, transport and agriculture, and remained unrivaled until the invention of the steam engine and later, automobiles.