The First Ride

The herd’s stallion trotted fretfully around the edges of his band. A stallion may choose his group but he is not the boss. Equine society is based on friendships and roles—the stallion was waiting for the group’s leader to make a decision, and he wished she would hurry. – Eclipsed by Shadow (excerpt)

A prehistoric horse herd-inspection…

“It’s all right,” Meagan calmly told the wary circle of horses. She moved slowly as individual horses stepped closer to sniff suspiciously. “I’m not going to hurt you.” She stroked the gray mare’s neck to show her good intentions.

The herd’s stallion trotted fretfully around the edges of his band. A stallion may choose his group but he is not the boss. Equine society is based on friendships and roles—the stallion was waiting for the group’s leader to make a decision, and he wished she would hurry.

The actual chief was a squat sorrel mare. She paced around Meagan with tight steps, her head held stiff and high. She was not pleased. Yes, this noisy pale monkey was interesting, mildly, taking a predator’s position to do nothing but gurgle. But the mare was impatient. She had a specific destination in mind today, a sheltered area with quality grass. The clinging creature was plainly too clumsy to be a concern, so perhaps a good day’s grazing could still be had.

To Meagan’s relief the sorrel mare snorted and swung around. The stallion moved to the rear as the herd fell into a brisk trot.

“Really, I won’t be any trouble,” Meagan assured the horses as they moved off, patting her mount’s coarse neck. The little mare flattened her ears and crow-hopped.

« “Mrs. Bridgestone” || “The Scythian Tomb” »
The Legend of the Great Horse trilogy is an adventure through history … each section is about a different time period. The above excerpt is from “Home,” the 1st section of Eclipsed by Shadow, set in modern-day California.

Eclipsed by Shadow (Book #1 of the trilogy) won national awards including the Eric Hoffer Award for best Young Adult Fiction, and the Mom’s Choice Award for best family-friendly Young Adult Fantasy.

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The First Horse …

Every horse in the world can be traced to a single mare that trotted the earth about 130,000 to 160,000 years ago, according to findings reported by Bloomberg News as published by US National Academy of Sciences.

The Cave Mare from "Eclipsed by Shadow"Ancestral Mother of All Horses Galloped 160,000 Years Ago

Today’s horses are descended from one ancestral mare according to findings reported by Bloomberg News as published by US National Academy of Sciences.

Every horse in the world can be traced to a single mare that trotted the earth about 130,000 to 160,000 years ago, scientists discovered for the first time.

The research identified 18 different genetic clusters that arose from the ancestral mare, suggesting that domestication occurred in many places across Europe and Asia, according to work published today in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

The Academy’s proceedings did not immediately confirm whether the Ancestral Mare was the original Great Horse as detailed in the nearly-eponymous trilogy of same … or whether this discovery offers new proof of the story’s mysterious legend.
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Related Link:

» All modern horses trace back to single ancestor

The Road Slowly Traveled: the artist’s view

A scene in “Eclipsed by Shadow” involves a prehistoric horse hunt, with man as the predator. This hunting scene took place in the same era that prehistoric cave paintings were being created, art still visible to us in places like the amazing caves of Lascaux, France.  Even in prehistoric times we have Man the predator … and Man the artist.

Are these the same Man?

Much cave art is utilitarian and crude. Only a few “works” stand out … could it be some artists saw the horse differently — as something to be admired and approached for qualities beyond that of mere food?

If so, the artist’s path was not quickly taken:  mankind crouched and crept through his world for many thousands of years, scrounging a life as both predator and prey. Yet eventually, somehow, the idea of using horses for limited work prevailed, and later the concept of the horse as a partner opened possibilities unknown by our distant ancestors.

It would be hard to argue with the primitive hunter “in the moment.” There is clearly a meal on the hoof, it tastes good: an undefeatable argument. It was a limited, self-serving failure of an argument … but undefeatable at the time! The use of horses cannot happen if your fellow caveman simply kills them.

It mirrors the age-old problem of progress, of mankind bound by its own ignorance and short-term, “greedy” impulses. We have left the caves, but this basic conflict still echoes.

Still, there was a moment when a human didn’t kill a horse he was able to. People did begin to stop hunting/killing horses, and learned better ways of being.

The artists saw the horse as something other than quarry. Art can truly be a window into new reality.

Another outcome …

Strangely, even the best cave art discovered in North America is more crude and hunter-focused than that found in caves of Europe. Illustrated animals in cave art of North America are usually depicted being pierced by arrows.

Horses evolved in North America, but disappeared long before European settlers arrived … and evidence suggests equines may have been hunted to extinction by natives. If so, whether resisted by a more ‘artistic’ view or not, heedless hunting had its way.

Horse-using cultures outstripped others in the development of civilization — American natives were overrun by people who had benefited from their association with the horse. What difference might horse domestication have made to the cultures of the native American had the horse survived … if, perhaps, the artists had won?

There are too many generalizations to make a point, only a question…

#37- The Horse-killers

A horse’s eyes are made to detect motion, and if the man made the slightest tremor the mare would recognize the danger. But she required that tremor. – Eclipsed by Shadow (excerpt)

20,000 years ago today…

A shape caught her attention: a person was squatting in the grass. One of the horse-killers. Meagan tensed and instantly every horse’s head was up. The lead mare froze and looked past the squatting figure as she tried to get a scent in the calm air. A horse’s eyes are made to detect motion, and if the man made the slightest tremor the mare would recognize the danger. But she required that tremor.

Another man lay behind the mare, prostrate a hundred feet away. He crept so slowly Meagan could track his movement only by marking the grass’s separation. Another man was beside the others—and another. The horse-killers surrounded them.

Looking again at the canyon walls covered with paintings, Meagan realized why it looked familiar. She had seen these canyon walls—from the other side of the cliff.

“Run!” she shouted. The horses could escape if they would only gallop away. “Go on!” She urged her mount forward but the untaught gray mare only balked. Then the stallion nipped the furthest horses to herd them closer and caught the scent of the hunters. His shrill trumpet cut the air and the electrified band swerved to take flight—but the men stood all at once and the startled horses wheeled to the center.

The tribe advanced, slowly tightening their circle as the herd milled in confusion. The only apparent escape was the deadly corridor between the rocks…

Excerpted from Eclipsed by Shadow,

the award-winning 1st volume of “The Legend of the Great Horse” trilogy. (Hrdbk pg. 100)

Book II: The Golden Spark will be published Fall 2010.

Read the 1st Chapter online!

Copyright © 2008 John Royce