The Horse

A Galloping History of Humanity

By: Timothy C. Winegard

Narrated by: Sean Patrick Hopkins

THE NATIONAL BESTSELLER

High Plains International Book Award Finalist

Shortlisted for the Reading the West Book Award

One of The Economist's Best Books of the Year

An Amazon Best Book of the Month

A Next Big Idea Club Must-Read Book

From New York Times bestselling author of The Mosquito, the incredible story of how the horse shaped human history

Timothy C. Winegard’s The Horse is an epic history unlike any other. Its story begins more than 5,500 years ago on the windswept grasslands of the Eurasian Steppe; when one human tamed one horse, an unbreakable bond was forged and the future of humanity was instantly rewritten, placing the reins of destiny firmly in human hands.

Since that pivotal day, the horse has carried the history of civilizations on its powerful back. For millennia it was the primary mode of transportation, an essential farming machine, a steadfast companion, and a formidable weapon of war. Possessing a unique combination of size, speed, strength, and stamina, the horse dominated every facet of human life and shaped the very scope of human ambition. And we still live among its galloping shadows.

Horses revolutionized the way we hunted, traded, traveled, farmed, fought, worshipped, and interacted. They fundamentally reshaped the human genome and the world’s linguistic map. They determined international borders, molded cultures, fueled economies, and built global superpowers. They decided the destinies of conquerors and empires. And they were vectors of lethal disease and contributed to lifesaving medical innovations. Horses even inspired architecture, invention, furniture, and fashion. From the thundering cavalry charges of Alexander the Great to the streets of New York during the Great Manure Crisis of 1894 and beyond, horses have shaped both the grand arc of history and our everyday lives.

Driven by fascinating revelations and fast-paced storytelling, The Horse is a riveting narrative of this noble animal’s unrivaled and enduring reign across human history. To know the horse is to understand the world.

Almost as good as the Mosquito

I learned a lot about history and about how the horse played a huge part.
Hard to imagine the big cities with all those horses.

Comprehensive

This book is surprising in its scope on the impact of the horse in the development of human civilization. From its evolution to why it was the perfect supporting animal in our history, the book reveals every aspect of how and why it is the forgotten instrument of where we are today. But for those of us that love horses, who ride horses, who stroke and try to understand their nature, this book does not address the character and nature of the horse.

History of the horse.

The book is a little slow to start because of the world history but it is necessary. Then the book picks up speed and discusses events that the reader can relate to. Very interesting even if you don’t own or admire horses.

The hero of the human story.

A journey from the evolution of the horse to the predominately entertainment value the horse has in 21st century.

Great global history of one mankind's best friends.

very splendid overview of how humans and horses have worked with one another to bring us to the world we live in today.