Ancient Egyptian Horse. ||Ezekiel imported horses themselves from Togarmah or lenia (Ezek. xxvii, 14). The Jewish kings sought the assistance of the Egyptians against the Assyrians in this respect (Isa. xxxi, 1 ; xxxvi, 8; Ezek. xvii, 15). The Canaanites were possessed of them (Deut. xx, 1 ; Josh, xi, 4 ; Judg. iv, 3 ; v, 22, 28), and likewise the Syr- ians (2 Sam. viii, 4 ; 1 Kings xx, 1 ; 2 Kings vi, 14 ; \ai, 7, 10) — notices which are confirmed by the pictorial representations on Egyptian monuments (Willviuson,
i, 303, 307, 401), and by the AssjT-ian inscriptions re- lating to Syrian expeditions. Hut the cavalry of the Assyrians themselves and other Eastern nations was re- garded as most formidable ; the horses themselves were highly bred, as the Assyrian sculptiu-es still testify, and fully merited the praise bestowed on them by Habakkuk (i, 8), " swifter than leopards, and more fierce than the evening wolves ;" their riders " clothed in blue, captains and rulers, all of them desirable young men" (Ezek. xxiii, 6), armed with " the bright sword and glittering spear" (Nah. iii, 3), made a deep impression on the Jews, who, plainly clad, went on foot; as also did their regular array as they proceeded in couples, contrasting with the disorderly troops of asses and camels whicli followed with the baggage (Isa. xxi, 7, rcM in this passage signifying rather a /rdin than a single chariot). The number cmiiloyed by the Eastern potentates was very great, Ilolofernes ]H)sscssing not less than 12,000 (Judith ii, 15). At a later period we have frequent notices of the cavalry of the GrffiCO-SjTiau mouarchs (1 Mace, i, 18 ; iii, 39, etc.).
Ancient Assyrian Horse.
Ancient Persian Horse.
The above notices of the use of the horse by the an« cient Egyptians derives abundant illustration from their monuments. In the scidptured battle-scenes, wliich are believed to represent victories of Sesostris, or of Thoth- mes II and III, over nations of Central Asia, it is evi- dent that the enemy's armies, as well as the foreign allies of Egj^it, were abundantly supplied with horses, both for chariots and for riders ; and in triumphal pro- cessions they are shown as presents or tribute — proving that they were portions of the national wealth (jf con- quered states sufficiently valuable to be prized in Egyiit. That the AssjTians and Babylonians were equally well supplied with this valuable animal is likewise attested by the martial scenes depicted on the sculptures discov- ered among the ruins of Nineveh anil the vicinity. They are represented in almost every variety of posi- tion and emplojTTient, such as the chase, and for other piu^ioses of pleasure; but chiefly in war, for which the Assyrians used them both with the saddle and in the chariot. According to IMr. Layard (^Nineveh, 1st series, i, 275 sq.), the horses of the Assyrians were well formed and of noble blood, as apjiears from the fig- ures no doubt faithfully cojiied on the sculp- tures. Cavalry formed an important part of the AssjT-ian army. The horsemen carried the bow and spear, and wore coats of mail, high greaves, and the pointed helmet. Their horses also were covered, and even, it would seem, with a kind of leather armor, from the heail to the tail, to protect them from the arrows of the enemy. It consisted of sev- eral pieces fastened together l)y buttons or loops. Over it was thrown an ornamented saddle-cloth, or a leopard's skin, upon which the rider sat. Under the head of the horse was himg a bell (comp. Zech. xiv, 20) or a tassel. The reins appear to have been tight- ened round the neck of the horse by a slid- ing button, and then dropped as the war-
HORSE
346
HORSE
Chariot-horse of Kanieses III. (From the Mouiinients at Ipsamboul.)
rior was engaged in fight. Between the horse's ears was an arched crest, and the different parts of the har- ness were richly embroidered, and ornamented with ro- settes (Layard's Nin. 2d ser, p. 456). See Horseman.
Aucieut Assyrian Stable ; Groom currying a Horse.
With regard to the trappings and management of the horse among the Hebrews and adjoining nations, we have little information ; the bridle (j-esen) was placed over the horse's nose (Isa. xxx, 28), and a bit or curb {metheg) is also noticed (2 Kings xix, 28 ; Psa. xxxii, 9 ; Prov. xxvi, 3 ; Isa. xxxvii, 29 ; in the A. V. it is incor- rectly given " bridle," with the exception of Psa. xxxii). The harness of the Assj'rian horses was profusely deco- rated, the bits being gilt (1 Esdr. iii. G), and the bridles adorned Mith tassels; on the neck ■^^as a collar tcrmnia-
Aucieut Assyrian Riding-horse, with Trappings.
ting in a bell, as described by Zechariah (xiv, 20). Sad- dles were not used until a late period ; only one is rep- resented on the Assyrian sculptures (Layard, ii, 357). The horses were not shod, and therefore hoofs as hard "as flint" (Isa. v, 28) were regarded as a great merit. The chariot-horses were covered with embroidered trap- pings— the "precious clothes" manufactured at Dedan (Ezek. xxvii, 20) : these were fastened by straps and buckles, and to this perhaps reference is made in Prov. xxx, 31, in the term zcn-zir, " one girded about the loins" (A. V. "greyhound"). Thus adorned, Mordecai rode in state through the streets of Shushan (Esth. vi, 9). White horses were more particularly appropriate to such occa- sions as being significant of victory (Rev. vi, 2 ; xix, 11, 14). Horses and chariots were used also in idolatrous processions, as noticed in regard to the sun (2 Kings xxiii, 11). As to kinds of harness, etc., by means of •which the services of the horse were anciently made available by other nations, it may be well to notice that the riding bridle was long a mere slip-knot, passed round the under jaw into the mouth, thus furnishing only one rein ; and that a rod was commonly added to guide the animal with more facility. The bridle, however, and the reins of chariot-horses were, at a very early age, exceed- ingly perfect, as the monuments of Egypt, Etruria, and Greece amply prove. Saddles were not used, the rider sitting on the bare back, or using a cloth or mat girded on the animal The Romans, no doubt copying the Per- sian Cataphractie, first used pad sad- dles, and from the northern nati;jns adopted stimidi or spurs. Stirrups were unknown. Avicenna first men- tions the 7-ikiah, or Arabian stirrup, perhaps the most ancient ; although in the tumuli of Central Asia, Tahtar horse skeletons, bridles, and stiiTup saddles have been found along with idols, which proves the tombs to be more ancient than the introduction of Islam. With regard to horse- shoeing, bishop Lowth and Bracy Clark were mistaken in believing that the Roman horse or mide shoe was fastened on without nails driven through the homy part of the hoof, as at present. A contrary conclusion may be inferred from several pas- sages in the poets ; and the figure of a horse in the Pompeii battle mosaic, shod in the same manner as is now the practice, leaves little doubt on the question. The principal use of horses anciently Avas for the chariot, especially in war ; to this they were attached by means of a pole and yoke like oxen, a practice which continued down to the times of the Romans. (See Bible Animals, p. 248 sq.) See Chariot ; Bridle.