Posturing Horses: Xenophon on Biomechanical Soundness in The Art of Horsemanship
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Date
2022-08-12
Authors
Rigg, Heather Mavis
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
University of Waterloo
Abstract
As early as the Bronze Age, ancient Greek horses shared in the social status of the military elite. The ritual inclusion of horses and their equipment in burial practices from the Bronze Age to the Classical period marked the elevated status of horses and the wealth of those who cared for them. It is possible to discern the level of care elite equines received through artistic depictions on Athenian pottery and from literary descriptions on the training, care, and stable management of horses as found in Xenophon’s manual, The Art of Horsemanship. The longevity of military and sport horses indicates the level of care they received. Based on the detailed practices Xenophon recommended for the selection, care, and training of 4th century BCE cavalry horses, it is possible to discern the ideal conformation (εἶδος) and posture (σχηματοποιεῖσθαι) that he desired for a horse. A comparison of Xenophon’s anatomical vocabulary to modern equine anatomy and physiology shows that he preferred riding practices that align with biomechanically sound training.
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Keywords
Xenophon, horses, biomechanics, equine, posture, conformation, ancient Greece, Greece, Athens, Lefkandi, Bronze Age, Iron Age, anatomy, material culture, Archaic period, Classical period, black-figure pottery, red-figure pottery, horse posture, biomechanically sound training, On Horsemanship, ancient Athenian cavalry, horse training in ancient Greece, horse care, grooming, equine biomechanics, horse anatomy, physiologically correct training, kraters, grave stele, riding, horseback riding, equine anatomy, equine physiology, tholos tombs, Mycenaean burials, Art of Horsemanship, groom, horse, dressage, Aristotle, funerary markers, archaeology, ancient Greek literature, ancient Greek art, ancient Greek archaeology, 3300-1150 BCE, 1150-750 BCE, 750-480 BCE, 480-323 BCE, stable management, ancient veterinary medicine