Horses - they are from the most amazing companions of man. Communication between a man and a horse is both a wonderful rest and the raising of feelings of pleasure. The horse, like no other animal, inspired artists and poets.
Horse worship
It is enough to recall the mythical Pegasus - a wonderful example of the classical art of Ancient Hellas. Silver Greek rhytons - ritual vessels for wine often looked like this winged horse, ready to spread its pressed wings and, having bit a bit, soared to the top of Parnassus. In ancient Egypt, horses, or “donkeys from the East,” were rendered all kinds of honors, and chariots and a harness were decorated with gold. Horses, especially white ones, were revered in the East. In Japan, for example, they were kept at temples, and the god of war among the ancient Indians was depicted with a horse's body.
In ancient Greece, and then in the Roman Empire, statues were erected in honor of horses - winners of equestrian competitions, and horse owners received rich prizes. Written evidence of the beloved stallion of the emperor Caligula, who drank from gold and clad in a mantle, “discussed” state affairs in the Senate along with noble patricians, has been preserved.
Use of horses
Honoring horses did not prevent them from being used for their intended purpose, because wild horses were tamed by our ancestors for purely everyday purposes: to cultivate the land, to carry luggage and people.In addition, horse meat has long remained a favorite food for most nomadic tribes, and not by accident: it is not only well digested, but also much cheaper than beef.
Horses in Warfare
Already in the IX-VIII centuries BC, horses were used in military affairs. In the troops of the ancient Assyrians, for example, chariots played the role of tanks advancing on foot enemy. The Egyptians had chariots designed to chase and were not so massive, reminiscent of modern lightweight carts. The ancient Germanic tribes that defeated Rome in the 4th century began to use saddles for the first time in the form of two planks covered with skins, as well as stirrups. Chariots drawn by horses, and later horsemen in armor, gradually became a decisive force in numerous wars. On one of the very first coins that began to be minted in the 4th century BC in ancient Carthage and in Mesopotamia, a war horse was depicted - a symbol of military power.
Horse breeding
Horse breeding in Europe began later. For a long time, riding horses or argamaks from Asia were brought here. They began to be used to improve local breeds. Magnificent heavy trucks capable of hauling cargo weighing 22-23 tons were grown in the Vladimir region, from where they got their name. Horses of this breed go well in harness, but are rather slow. But the Oryol trotters are distinguished by excellent agility and strength, so they were considered unsurpassed post horses.
It was possible to deduce even more frisky and beautiful Russian trotters from crossing American and Oryol trotters, who can run at a speed of 50-60 km / h, and amblers even faster.Unfortunately, admiring a live horse in a natural setting is becoming increasingly difficult. Man-made “steel horses” gradually replaced the real ones. And yet, in many cases, a live horse, like an old horse, can not do.
The healing properties of horse milk
For a long time people have been aware of the healing properties of horse milk, from which koumiss is made. According to the testimony of the Greek historian Herodotus, already in the 5th century BC, Asian peoples knew the recipe for its manufacture, which was kept in the strictest confidence. Horse milk, thanks to a very large amount of sugar, is easily fermented, and koumiss, in addition to vitamins, contains active yeast, as well as bacteria useful for the body. This is an excellent tool in the treatment of tuberculosis, vitamin deficiencies, gastrointestinal diseases, neurasthenia and heart diseases for a reason called living water.
As far back as 1858 in Russia near Samara, a kumis clinic was organized, in which patients with tuberculosis and many other life-threatening illnesses regained their health.
In Bashkiria, where koumiss is considered a traditional drink, special “milk” breeds of horses have been bred. The products of horse farms are supposed to be exported to the countries of near and far abroad. Based on koumiss, sour milk products with a more attractive, familiar taste, but with many healing qualities of a natural product, are produced here.
In Bashkirs, Kalmyks, and Altai peoples, koumiss has long been used not only as a therapeutic and dietary remedy, but also for the prevention of scurvy. It is given to pregnant and lactating women, and in diluted form - to weakened children and the elderly.During the war, koumiss saved the lives of more than a dozen wounded, and in the postwar years, microbiologists, with the help of horses, launched the production of a number of vaccines and serums against such dangerous diseases as diphtheria, typhoid, and measles. To do this, the horse was infected with pathogens of a particular disease, in response to the formation of antibodies was the formation of antibodies. After several vaccinations, the antibody-saturated blood of an immunized, disease-resistant horse can be used to prepare antimicrobial agents. One animal is enough to replace several hundred laboratory mice and save thousands of people from the disease. “A sick man, that a rider without a horse” - says the old eastern wisdom.
For many centuries, horses have been given one of the main roles, be it war, sports, or farming. There are legends about the attachment of horses to people. Indeed, an adult animal remembers its first owner all its life. It is not in vain that the words “harness” and “matrimony” have a common root, but the dictionary compiled by V. Dahl contains about 200 proverbs and sayings related to the horse. Since ancient times, this noble animal gives a person health, strength and inspiration, so that a rider riding a horse becomes higher not only in the literal, but also figuratively. Therefore, reciprocal care and love for horses is not too big a fee, which always pays off handsomely.
