How do you go from chariots to horseback riding? Archaeologists Barbara and Tristan explore what archaeology says about early horse riding, the development of bridles and other riding gear, and how horses reshaped power in the ancient world.

And then there’s the weird, awkward transition stage: ancient Assyrian art shows two horses tethered together with a rider on each, one steering and one fighting. A truly wild way to learn to ride.

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Stingray Tom's Florida episode on ancient mounds and middens:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KD-Y-N5kNN4

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Why were ancient horses so difficult to domesticate? Archaeologists Barbara and Tristan explore what archaeology reveals about horse domestication, why it took so long to happen, and how these fast, high-strung animals shaped early human societies.

Long before riding was common, horses were hitched to carts, literally putting the cart before the horse. What does that struggle tell us about ancient technology, transport, and adaptation?

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Did you know that ancient horses had toes? In this episode, Barbara learns all about them, and is not entirely comfortable with the idea.

We’re kicking off a new book focused on the long relationship between horses and humans. We talk about how horses evolved, what early horses were like during the Ice Age, and what those first encounters between humans and horses may have looked like (and why they didn’t go especially well for the horses).

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#archaeologybooksforfun #ancientworld #equine #horsehistory #iceage