When Horses Were Wild…REALLY Wild!

Were horses latecomers to domestication? Answer our Just-for-Fun Trivia question to learn the surprising answer.

Photo by James/Adobe Stock Images

TRUE OR FALSE: The horse, now one of the most successful and widespread of earth’s tamed creatures, was one of the last major mammals to be domesticated.

T / F

Please scroll down.

Keep scrolling.

Just a bit more…

Almost there…

(Honest! Keep going.)

T is correct. The horse was one of the last major mammals to be domesticated, about 5,600 years ago. The first animal we humans domesticated was the wolf, which became a part of our family about 14,000 years ago. As a predator, the wolf—and his descendant, the dog—may’ve aided us in hunting.

We next tamed sheep, and by 9,000 years ago, goats, pigs, and chickens had joined the communal dwellings that spread as we began to relinquish our nomadic ways, settle down, and cultivate crops.

With what we know today about the bonding capabilities of the horse, why did it take so long for that noble beast to be domesticated? We don’t know for sure, but the flighty restlessness that made prehistoric horses difficult to hunt may at least partly account for it.

LIKE TRIVIA? Sign up for The Ride, Horse&Rider‘s free newsletter, which brings you educational trivia questions plus a wealth of other great information every week.

[SOLUTIONS for the horse that rears, bucks, balks, bolts, more.]

Share
Related Articles
Small horse farm, barn, paddocks,horses,rural,Tennessee
Building Your Dream Barn
Top 10 Essential Factors to Consider When Building a Barn
HR_24SPG_Solutions_blanket hanger
Tack Room Transformation
HR_24SPG_Confident Rider
Back to Basics
Stick to the Steps
HR_24SPG_Edit Letter
In 2024 We Avoid Negativity
Positivity for 2024
Newsletter
Receive news and promotions for Horse & Rider and other Equine Network offers.

"*" indicates required fields

Name*
Country*

Additional Offers

Additional Offers
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.