Horse
| Of all the animals, the horse
has probably most closely shared in human adventures, and has been most
intimately allied with human progress. For thousands of years, the horse
has participated in the pleasures, the dangers, and the hard work that
have marked human life. Perhaps because of this long relationship, the
horse holds a special place in mankind's affection.
No one knows exactly when people and horses first became companions. Some historians believe that probably people hunted early horses as they did other game animals. Drawings, engravings, and sculptures of horses that date back many thousands of years may have been made by hunters and medicine men as offerings to the gods for a good hunt. Then perhaps people recognized the advantage of the horse's fleetness, tamed the horse, and used it to pursue other animals for food. In general, the horse is a relatively large animal that weighs about 1,000 pounds or more. It stands about 5 1/2 feet high at the shoulder and is about 9 feet long from the tip of its nose to its tail. Until the early 1900s the horse was an integral part of everyday life. During the Middle Ages, experimentation in breeding horses continued. The growth of international trade increased the need for a reasonable means for the overland transportation of goods. Sturdy pack horses were desired to carry merchandise between towns and into the countryside. Large, strong draft horses were in demand for use in teams to draw carts of bulk merchandise over long distances. In addition, horses for the business of knighthood had to be developed. A well-equipped knight needed at least four different types of horses: (1) a charger, (2) a palfrey, (3) a courser, and (4) a battle horse. Str 5, Dex 2, Stamina 5, Alertness 2 Brawl 1/or as riding skill, Athletics 3/or as riding skill Health OK(x3), -1(x2), -2(x2), -5 Attack: Bite 3, Kick 5, Trample 6 |