Global Horse Culture

Fantastic Horse Mosaics

This depiction of a charioteer is a Roman-era mosaic from the 3rd or 4th century. The snapshot is from Sebastiá Giralt's flickr photostream.

If you like ancient mosaics, I've just discovered a wonderful blog called the Mosaic Art Source Blog! The post on horses in mosaics is not to be missed! They have collected a wonderful set of photos of both modern and ancient mosaics from a variety of sources, all featuring horses. 

Browse the blog for posts on other subjects, too. I loved this post featuring lions.

Old World: Meet New World

davesag on flickr posted this excellent snapshot. His caption says these Greek donkeys are carrying the computers to a conference. There are a couple other photos of the same scene in his photostream. Just too cute!

Turkish Equestrian Sport

The traditional Turkish sport called jereed or cirit is played by teams who hurl (blunted) javelins at members of the opposing team. This video has a nice collage of still photos, and the one after it shows some footage of game in action:

Italian Horse Breeds

Here's a cool website with a very complete listing of Italian horse breeds. The breeds are listed in the menu on the left side. Clicking each will give you a description (in Italian, of course) and photos (usually towards the bottom of the page). There is quite a diversity, from mountain ponies to saddle horses and draft horses. Many of the saddle horses derive from combinations of Iberian, Arabian and Thoroughbred blood. Worth a browse, even if you don't speak Italian.

The Coudelaria de Alter

The Coudelaria de Alter (Alter Stud Farm) in Portugal is a grand and historic horse breeding and training facility where the rare Alter Real breed originated and is still preserved today. The facilities are sprawling and elaborate, including broodmare and breeding facilities and laboratories; multiple arenas, both indoor and outdoor; areas for cross country riding; even a mounted falconry facility (scroll down to see photos on that page). 

The Alter Real is related to the Lusitano, but of a more specific bloodline, having been bred for the Portuguese School of Equestrian Arts (equivalent of the Spanish Riding School). The horses are typically bay in color, consistently larger than the Lusitano, and selected for their abilities in classical dressage. The breed has been nearly lost at times, due to war, and there were past attempts to rescue it by introducing Arabian, Hanoverian, Andalusian and other breeds. You can read a brief overview of the history in English here.

There are some nice photos of a demonstration by the Portuguese School of Equestrian Arts here.

This short video shows the huge herd of broodmares strolling through the stud farm on their way to their pasture. It's a beautiful moment, shot by a visitor (the farm is a popular tourist destination for horse lovers).

The Oldest Breed in the World?

The Retuerta horse is a breed that runs wild in Andalucia, in southern Spain. According to this fascinating article the Retuerta horse "is said to be the oldest surviving breed of horse in Europe, if not the world – and the most unique, having no genes whatsoever in common with any other known race on the planet." It continues:

Studies into the Retuertas have been ongoing since the 1980s. The DNA of this endangered species of horse has been closely examined along with that of another ten breeds from Europe and North Africa, and was found to have nothing whatsoever in common with any of them. Neither the English thoroughbred nor the Pura Raza Española; neither Arabs nor British mountain and moorland ponies, and were found to be no relation whatsoever to native Spanish breeds such as the Losino, Mallorquín, Menorquín, Asturcón, the Spanish Trotter nor the Basque ‘pottoka’ breed.

There are some more photos at this link.

Update: here is the original scientific study that led to the news cited above.

Flowers and Masks

Rosettes cover the bridles and saddles of these horses during Carnival in Sardinia. Check out the flickr link for more great shots.

Photo: ezioman on flickr

Renaissance Italian

A recreationist at an Italian fair with his beautifully costumed horse.

Photo: Marvin(PA) on flickr.

Greek Ornamental Browband

This horse has a bright colored browband with a decorative ornament - it appears to be decorated with a cross of cowrie shells, though I can't be sure. A nifty decoration. The bridle is otherwise very plain.

Photo: dippybiscuit on flickr.

A Turkish Bridle

This horse is wearing an interesting bridle of striped woven fabric. It also has a nifty necklace, probably a good luck talisman (or what was historically considered to be a good luck talisman and is now just considered pretty decoration). Necklaces and collars are not uncommon horse decoration - I've seen them on African, Mediterranean and Middle Eastern horses in particular. I'll find some more pictures on that topic in the future.

Update: I just read an article about the Akhal Teke horse which mentioned in passing that traditional horse talismans were made of carmine and turquoise:

"Summer and winter, the Turkmen covered his precious steed with a felt blanket, which in winter kept off howling winds and in summer protected against stinging flies. On top of that he put a stiff saddle, a pillow and a silk cover, and then draped his horse in necklaces studded with turquoise and carmine, stones which were believed to protect the rider against evil spirits-of which there were plenty to imagine in the vast Kara Kum Desert."

It is possible that that cultural idea was widespread in Central Asia and the Middle East, and may be why this Turkish horse's necklace has red and blue beads in it.

 

Photo: Adam Franco on flickr.