Horses have evolved alongside humans for tens of thousands of years, but our affinity for riding them is a relatively recent development in history. Originally domesticated for their use as instruments of work and war, horses have in the last century become more companions than tools for humans. Today, they are among the most beloved animal companions that humans have.
Horses (and trainers) were, for hundreds of years in human history, absolutely essential in every part of the civilized world. Horse trainers, though, weren’t always professionals that the average person could afford. Trainers used to only be employed by noblemen and kings. The training itself wasn’t to make the horses fit for pleasure riding, but usually instead was for racing, hunting or military uses.
As time progressed, the average person started using horses more often for things like transportation and farming work. Roads weren’t always the greatest in past centuries, and during those times the main method of transportation was riding on the back of a horse. Later, as roads were made smoother and more reliable, horses were used to pull wagons and other vehicles (which greatly increased the amount of people and things a horse could transport).
Only in the past century or so have horses become animals that are mainly bought and used for pleasure. The first pleasure horse was probably the hunter. Here in America, saddle horses started to be looked at as recreational animals once we no longer needed them for transportation. For those who want more challenging or competitive riding experiences, hunters and polo ponies fill the need.
Besides the horse, the only other animal that humans form such an unbreakable, strong relationship with is probably the dog. All humans seem to be born with a natural love for horses (with a very few exceptions, of course). We naturally are attracted to the beauty of horses, the companionship they provide, and the exercise and skill we can develop with them over the course of a long relationship.
Human love for horses hasn’t lessened as technology and transportation has advanced in recent decades. Regardless of how our society and technology change, we will always have an innate love for horses and the lifestyle that comes from taking care of them and working with them. Horses have an unbreakable bond with people that has lasted for thousands of years, and will likely last for thousands more.