Short history of Equines
Next time you ride a horse or visit the tracks, appreciate what others have done.
About 6,000 years ago in east Africa donkeys/asses were domesticated. Asses pulled early chariots and changed warfare.
About 4,000 years ago in the Caucasian Mountains, horses were domesticated. The size of ponies, they pulled carts and chariots. About the time of the Roman Empire horses large enough for cavalry developed.
Draft horses, surprisingly enough, only became common the last 300 years. Everyone knows them from beer commercials.
About 3,000 years ago jack asses were bred with mares (donkey/horse cross), resulting in mules. As a baby I lived on a mule-powered farm—I still love them (and all equines).



