How Horses Shaped History & The Surprising Upside of Laziness – SYSK Choice

This episode of Something You Should Know delves into two seemingly disparate but equally fascinating topics: the monumental influence of horses on human history and the unexpected advantages of embracing strategic laziness.

The Unsung Heroes of History: Horses

Mike Carruthers introduces Timothy Weingard, author of The Horse: A Galloping History of Humanity, to reveal how these magnificent creatures have shaped our world in ways we rarely consider. Weingard begins by explaining that the horse, as we know it today, is the result of 60 million years of natural evolution, primarily centered in the Wyoming, Colorado, and Montana areas of North America. Over this vast period, the horse evolved from a small, fox-sized animal with multiple toes to the single-hoofed creature we recognize. Interestingly, while horses originated in North America, they went extinct there around 9,000 years ago, surviving only in a small pocket on the Pontic-Caspian Steppe in Eurasia. It was here, around 3,500 BCE, that humans first domesticated them.

Initially, horses were domesticated for their milk, meat, hides, hooves, and bones. However, early domesticators quickly recognized their utilitarian potential. Through selective breeding, humans developed horses with calmer temperaments and flatter backs, making them suitable for riding. Weingard describes the horse as a "pinnacle of biotechnology" and a "living machine," becoming the "Swiss Army knife of animals" due to its versatility. Horses facilitated farming, travel, trade, migration, and warfare, effectively making the world a "smaller place" by enabling the rapid exchange of ideas, people, pathogens, spirituality, and inventions. This "equine revolution" was arguably more profound than the Industrial or Agricultural Revolutions.