Books I'm Reading: The Age of the Horse

I’ve just finished reading Susanna Forrest’s The Age of the Horse (Atlantic Monthly Press, 2016), subtitled “An Equine Journey through Human History.” The book offers a sweeping look at the shared histories of horses and humans, starting with a short section on equine evolution, from the earliest horse-like species about 56 million years ago to the present day. Although a history, the ideas are presented not strictly chronologically but by tracing a number of themes that the author likens to “bridle paths” with sections headed wildness, culture, power, meat, wealth, and war.

The treatment of evolution and domestication traces the shift from Eohippus to Equus caballus, the modern horse, and outlines how wild horse populations have been subdued and made into work partners and food sources in different parts of the world. She discusses everything from Mongolia’s wild takhi herds, the haute école riding displays at Versailles, newly established polo clubs in Beijing, and equine therapy programs for veterans in Arlington, Virginia, drawing on personal anecdotes and archival materials to illustrate how horses have served as labor, as instruments of war, as symbols of wealth and status, and as food. The section discussing the history of humans consuming horses for food and the various ways horse carcasses have been made use of in different periods and cultures I thought particularly interesting. One line, on Page 230, mentioned the boiling of horse’s hoofs for the production of Prussian Blue, a connection that I didn’t quite understand (and one that is not elaborated on in the text). That sent me to the Internet to investigate – which kept me occupied for the better part of a day (details here).

An interesting and enjoyable read. I thought it engagingly written despite a fair number of horse-specific terms that I had to look up along the way. Recommended.