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Which ethnicities (in the past and in the contemporary world) tend to produce the best horseriders/have a reputation for their horsemanship?
My first association (when pondering the matter) is with nomadic people such as the Kyrgyz and the Mongols, but I am not sure whether this is still the case today.
Thanks, I agree, another possible candidate is Turkmenistan. Turkmen riders frequently demonstrate their horsemanship skills during national independence day parades. It is no surprise that the Akhal-Teke horse is one of the symbols of the former Soviet republic. It seems as if riders from European countries continue to dominate equestrian competitions, though...it's difficult to include exotic disciplines such as "horse taming" as part of the Olympic Games.
United States: First i think of is the old comanche and sioux warriors. From what i've read they had some jaw-dropping skills. And also the western cowboy style that is preserved to this day. I like the trick riders and the cowboys in cattlework.
For European horsemanship, i think of the Hungarian mounted archers. It's one of the few European warrior riding styles that's kept alive. Also old spanish riding school wich is legacy of the knights, and is still practiced today, but not by many. And the french cowboys in the camarque.
But overall i think the Comanche were the best natural horseman in the world.
Of course, the specialized equestrian skills cultivated through upper class European patronage are exceptional and not to be found in other traditions. But the skilled horseman of the European tradition are also much rarer then the more widespread skills of the people of central asia.
United States: First i think of is the old comanche and sioux warriors. From what i've read they had some jaw-dropping skills. And also the western cowboy style that is preserved to this day. I like the trick riders and the cowboys in cattlework.
For European horsemanship, i think of the Hungarian mounted archers. It's one of the few European warrior riding styles that's kept alive. Also old spanish riding school wich is legacy of the knights, and is still practiced today, but not by many. And the french cowboys in the camarque.
But overall i think the Comanche were the best natural horseman in the world.
I don't agree about the Sioux and Comanche being the best natural horsemen. They never had opportunity to become horsemen until the Spanish re-introduced horses. Horses in the Americas went extinct over 10,000 years ago and didn't get re-introduced into the Americas again until the 1500's when Spanish Conquistadors brought over the first 15 horses which were Iberian Barb descendents, also known as Jennets or Andaluz Mustangs. Native Indians at that time had never seen horses before then and horsemen from the eastern continents had already had many centuries head start of superb horsemanship over Native Indians. By the early 1600's the re-introduced horses had made their way north with Spaniards through the western U.S. west of the Rocky Mountains to the coast, following the expansion of the Mexican/Spanish. Although greatly valued by their Spanish owners they occasionally escaped, fueling Navajo raiders as early as 1606. Trading and warring among Natives resulted in a rapid spread of horses through the North American continent. Within 150 years of the first colonizers herds of mostly Spanish Andaluz wild mustangs were roaming the plains. Native Indian horsemen became good with horses during the short 2 or 3 centuries they had access to horses before themselves being subdued but they were never the best and certainly never held a candle to the Mongolians.
I don't agree about the Sioux and Comanche being the best natural horsemen. They never had opportunity to become horsemen until the Spanish re-introduced horses. Horses in the Americas went extinct over 10,000 years ago and didn't get re-introduced into the Americas again until the 1500's when Spanish Conquistadors brought over the first 15 horses which were Iberian Barb descendents, also known as Jennets or Andaluz Mustangs. Native Indians at that time had never seen horses before then and horsemen from the eastern continents had already had many centuries head start of superb horsemanship over Native Indians. By the early 1600's the re-introduced horses had made their way north with Spaniards through the western U.S. west of the Rocky Mountains to the coast, following the expansion of the Mexican/Spanish. Although greatly valued by their Spanish owners they occasionally escaped, fueling Navajo raiders as early as 1606. Trading and warring among Natives resulted in a rapid spread of horses through the North American continent. Within 150 years of the first colonizers herds of mostly Spanish Andaluz wild mustangs were roaming the plains. Native Indian horsemen became good with horses during the short 2 or 3 centuries they had access to horses before themselves being subdued but they were never the best and certainly never held a candle to the Mongolians.
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I'm well familliar with the history of the american horse. I've been around horses my whole live, and i've owned Quarter- and Painthorses since the last ten years. I still own a Quarter and a Paint.
But I don't think it really matters for how long a country has had horses. One century can be enough to make a horse culture.
The reason i think comanche (and a lot of other tribes) were the best at horsemanship, is that they rode without saddle, without proper rains and still got the horse to do what ever they wanted. I know from experience, it takes a whole lot of horsemanship to do that. And while riding saddle- and briddleless, being able to fight, shoot arrows, and even pick someone by the enkles and throw him over takes even more skills.
And when you take a look at modern day horsemanship, i think in America, the old riding- style of collecting a horse on loose reins is best preserved. There are much more people that actually master that skill, out here it's only a few. I know european horsemanship is pretty sophisticated and has a high standard, but most of em are completly helples without a saddle and reins. Most of 'em can't even collect their horse without tying the reins. In America you'll see it in Reining, Cutting and Western Horsmanship while in Europe it's long gone.
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