Global Horse Culture

Just one wee horsepower

Pop over to flickr and take a look at this picture. Possibly the most innovative design in horse-drawn vehicles I've ever seen (except maybe those German unicycles!!). I imagine that's a pretty heavy vehicle to pull, with all that metal in the construction, though it's not uncommon for large horse-drawn carriages (combined driving vehicles, Amish carraiges, etc.) to weigh many hundreds of pounds. Once the vehicle gets rolling, there's not much effort needed, if it is well balanced. Stopping and starting, or going up and down hills, is where the hard work comes in.

Ox Riding

This interesting illustration was published in 1853, and depicts a KhoiKhoi man riding an ox. (The KhoiKhoi people were formerly referred to as Hottentots by the Dutch settlers in South Africa.) The KhoiKhoi were a cattle-herding people even before the arrival of European settlers. Oxen are castrated male cattle, usually chosen for their large size and strength, used for draft work or (less frequently) riding. They are slower and more sure-footed than horses.

From "A Narrative of a Visit to the Mauritius  and South Africa," written by a traveling Christian missionary in 1844, comes this brief mention of ox-riding:

At the first large kraal we passed, there was a dance, at which many persons were assembled, among whom we could discern two boys painted white. Many people were on their way thither: some of them were riding on oxen, which they use in place of saddle-horses, guiding them with a bridle, fastened to a stick, passed through the cartilage of the nose." (page 276, link)

I wrote to Debbie and Basil Mills, who have been training oxen for riding and developing ox trails for purposes of historic re-enactment, tourism and education. Debbie offered this interesting description of ox riding:

Basically the indigenous Khoi-Khoi people of Southern Africa had used their oxen to transport their goods and as riding animals for generations before the arrival of the white man.

Zebra carry the horse sickness virus which even today wipes out large numbers of horses, mules and donkeys.

Horses were also a rich man's possession which had to be imported and the poor settler farmers had to make use of one animal for milk, meat, hides and transport. The harsh grazing conditions and the tick infestations in the area also take a heavy toll on the non-indigenous livestock.

Warlike tribes would ride their cattle into battle with fiery brands tied to their sharpened horns, and settlers would often strap their goods onto the horns of the oxen that they were riding (in one case on record, a batch of piglets in baskets) and travel the 20 or more kilometres into the nearest town to barter.

We have trained a number of local Nguni cattle for riding and find most of them to be amenable for wagon work, while a good riding ox needs to be carefully selected from the herd according to his temperament.

If you are traveling in South Africa and would like to see for yourself, the Mills' can be contacted via the info on this page. Thanks, Debbie!

Image: NYPL Digital Gallery

A Nap in the Desert

This photo is part of a photo set of a herd of feral horses in Namibia. The set provides an interesting look at daily wild horse behavior, from sparring to napping. Here a few horses keep watch while others rest. Follow the flickr link to enjoy more pictures of these horses.

This article, though it dates from 1999, has some interesting info about the horses. Though I am unaware of their origins, the feral horses of Namibia have become a tourist attraction, and their population is sometimes stricken by drought, as was the case in 1999, when a controversial effort was made to save them.

The feral horses were featured in a fictional film called "Running Free", by Jean-Jacques Arnaud (director of "Seven Years in Tibet" and "Name of the Rose"), which has contributed to their popularity with visitors. The film is a classic horse and boy story of a stranded and suffering steed and the stable boy who loves him, who flee their cruel master to face the freedom of the desert. I haven't seen it, but will write a review if I do.

Photo: moonlight*1 on flickr

Spooky Dunes

NamibWeb.com, a travel site, has an article uncovering the mystery of a valley full of old horse bones that occasionally appears deep in the desert. Spooky! I wouldn't want to wander into that on a moonlit night!

The International Saddlebred

The American Saddlebred is quite popular in South Africa. Here's a promo from a recent championship show.

East meets West

The South African Boer Horse (Boerperd) descends from an interesting mixture of breeds. The first horses brought to South Africa by Europeans were Andalusians, Persian Arabs and Java Ponies. These were mixed and selected to provide all purpose horses and cavalry mounts. In the 1800s the blood of Friesians, Norfolk Trotters, Cleveland Bays and Hackneys was added. Today's Boerperd is somewhat variable in appearance, with some horses showing their Arabian or Andalusian ancestry more strongly, and others leaning more towards the Norfolk Trotter, Hackney or Cleveland Bay appearance.

As can be seen on this website (look under "Stallions/Hingste") some of the horses are 5-gaited, and shown saddleseat style. Others are clearly trotting horses with sport-horse conformation, and are used as jumpers or for dressage. Others are used as pleasure horses.

Because of the many influences, the Boerperd comes in a variety of solid colors, including roan and dun.

Photo: SA Boerperd Breeders Society