Look back at man's struggle for freedom.

Trace our present day's strength to its source,

And you'll find that man's pathway to glory

Is strewn with the bones of a horse.

Wherever man has left his footprints in the long ascent from

barbarism to civilization, we will find the hoofprint of a horse beside it.

Ancient civilizations of the world have all made important progressions related to their use of the horse. The ancient Chinese appear to have been significantly more advanced in a wide range of areas than their contemporaries in other nearby countries. Why, then, did the development of horseback riding occur so much later than in some less sophisticated societies? There are several answers for this question, relating to China’s politics, culture, and geography. The Chinese sedentary lifestyle did not demand horseback riding the way the Mongolians’ did. They acquired and domesticated horses much later and did not develop the same reverence for horses that the northern people had. The Chinese avoided contact with the Mongolians, from whom they would eventually learn

Even though horses were commonly used and considered important, the horse in China was not a well-respected or revered animal. This could be related to the fact that Chinese ponies were diminutive and not especially beautiful. It is possible that they considered the scent of horses to be disgusting, and thus it is proper to refrain from direct contact with horse sweat. In one letter to King Zimri-Lim (1782-1752 BC), it was advised that in order to preserve his dignity, he must enter a city riding in a chariot, or even on a mule, but not on horseback (www.imh.org).

By the rise of the Han Dynasty, the chariot was reluctantly given up as an obsolete fighting technique. The light cavalry had developed during the Warring States period (475-221 BC), and by the Han dynasty it was the dominant military use of the horse. King Wu-ling of North Chao made hugely controversial move when he imposed on his troops the “barbarian style of dress,” rather than the revered long coat (Sawyer, 12). This was done purposely to facilitate the adoption of cavalry.

The fact that the China avoided contact with the Mongolians delayed the possible acquisition of the nomads’ horsemanship skills. The Great Wall was a physical barrier between the peoples, and the general mindset of the ancient Chinese lent itself to isolationism. It was only when they were forced to that they refined their use of horses and the military began riding astride in order to fight off the Huns (www.imh.org).

Oxen had been the primary draught animal for many years before horses, but the Chinese soon learned that horses are pound-for-pound stronger and much quicker than oxen. They also eat less and are easier to train and control, and tend to be blindly obedient. These qualities of horses would be utilized in chariot warfare, a revolution in the way people fought.

There are several reasons why Chinese were slow to ride horses. Some of these were inherent in the topography and location of China, and some were the fault of Chinese actions. The Chinese, in their drive for excellence and individuality, kept off of the backs of horses largely because they considered themselves above the people who rode. That very same pride and intelligence would come to hasten the development of the Chinese as riders. The ancient Chinese made up for their late start at riding by developing as horsemen at an extraordinary rate.

The attitude toward horses could not be more different in Mongolia. Even though the ponies of this region are not larger nor more refined than those in China, they still provide very effective mounts. These nomadic people benefited greatly from the horses they kept, as horses served as both a source of foo

Some topics in this essay:
North Chao, Moore- Ancient, Western Zhou, Chinaman Confucius, King Zimri-Lim, Shang Dynasty, Northeastern Chinese, China Mongolians, Rider Chinese, Chinese Chinese, horseback riding, chinese culture, ancient chinese, avoided contact mongolians, chinese sedentary, riding astride, horses china, loewe 207, shang dynasty, avoided contact, kept horses,