In today's episode, Keagan and Keely conclude our WW2 story with the risky rescue of the horses from Nazi possession.
(Content Warning: Discussion of mental health struggles)
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If you’re struggling, it’s okay to share your feelings. In the US, call the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline to speak with someone.
In WW2, the Nazis stole thousands of prized purebred horses to fuel their vision of a “master race.” And in the war’s aftermath, a select group of horse lovers rescued them. This is the story of the priceless stallions that were kidnapped by the Nazis, and those who worked tirelessly to save them.
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In 1913 there were over 70,000 horses and ponies living underground in Britain alone. These were the pit ponies - equines that worked in coal mines across England, Wales, Ireland, Canada, the US, and Australia. In today's episode, Keagan and Keely discuss the realities of what these ponies faced, and dispel a couple of myths along the way.
Warning: This episode does contain some discussion of animal death and animal injury.
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Keely is still on vacation, so today's episode is going to be special for a few reasons. Firstly, we welcome Keagan's partner Jay who has very little knowledge of horses to the podcast. Secondly, this episode is a video so that you don't miss out on what we are seeing. Keagan and Jay rank medieval horse art based on their realism and on "vibes."
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In this episode Keagan and Keely explore the military career of a the most decorated non-human animal to serve in the US military. Saddle up and join us for a classic war story - but this time our main character is a Korean pony with a big attitude and a bigger heart.
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In this episode of History from Horseback, Keagan and Keely welcome guests Susan Friedland and Amanda Geci to chat about Chincoteague ponies! Many animal and horse-lovers alike grew up reading the book "Misty of Chincoteague" or other horse-themed novels written by Marguerite Henry. But some may be surprised to learn that the islands of Chincoteague and Assateague are real places that continue to carry on the tradition of raising semi-feral ponies, or that Misty was in fact a real pony herself.
After re-reading "Misty of Chincoteague" in 2018, Susan Friedland embarked on a two-year journey to uncover the life and legacy of author Marguerite Henry and her famous pony, Misty. That research became the heart of her acclaimed book "Marguerite, Misty and Me" and its young reader adaptation, which debuted in 2023 during Pony Penning Week on Chincoteague Island. Since 2013, Susan has shared her equestrian adventures and insights on her award-winning blog Saddle Seeks Horse. She’s also the co-host of Barn Banter by Horse Illustrated podcast and spends her days learning dressage with her off-track Thoroughbred, Tiz a Knight. (Instagram: @saddleseekshorse )
Amanda Geci has been a lover of Chincoteague ponies since childhood. Seeing a need for a registry for the distinctive breed, Geci and her cohorts founded the International Chincoteague Pony Association and Registry (ICPAR) in 2020. She is now also the manager of the Chincoteague Pony Pedigree Database, manager of the color research website The Colorful Chincoteague, and co-manager of the Misty of Chincoteague website Misty’s Heaven. (Instagram: @mistysheaven )
If you would like to learn more about Chincoteague Ponies and the Chincoteague Pony Swim, join Susan, Amanda, and some other experts at their June 30th fb webinar, An Insider's Guide to the 100th Chincoteague Pony Swim & Beyond!
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In the 2nd part of out Przewalski's Horse topic, Keagan an Keely discuss the incredible comeback of a horse species nearly pushed to extinction. What once might as well have been a mythical unicorn now runs free in its native habitat once again. Yet the Przewalski's horse still faces hardship as a species, and efforts are still being made to protect the species and the delicate ecosystem it exists in.
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Once nearly extinct, the Przewalski’s horse is now a conservation success story. In part 1 of this 2-part episode (there was a lot of material to cover, can you blame us?) , we explore how this elusive wild horse went from ancient cave paintings to viral fame. We also discuss how imperialism, scandal, and habitat loss conspired to push this species to the brink of extinction. Join us next episode for the story of their incredible comeback.
To leave a comment on the Proposed Rule "Rescinding the Definition of “Harm” Under the Endangered Species Act," visit the Federal Register website and click "Submit a Public Comment."
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In this episode, we welcome our guest @sidesaddlekaitlyn to the podcast to discuss riding side saddle! Kaitlyn is a side saddle rider and runs a horseback historical reenactment team called Equistry.
We talk about some of the basics of riding side saddle, a brief history on the discipline, and debunk some myths surrounding side saddle. Per usual, no Keagan and Keely want to go try it... now to find folks who offer side saddle lessons...!
You can find @sidesaddlekaitlyn on Instagram and her reenactment team @Equistry on Instagram and Facebook.
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This episode Keagan and Keely chat about the mysterious history of horseshoes. We also get side-tracked by horses in video games, as we often do.
Have you ever heard of the hipposandal? How about the umugatsu? Before we started nailing U-shaped metal plates onto horse's feet, both were used as hoof coverings. And when did we make the transition in the first place? Today's episode attempts to answer these questions.
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This episode Keagan and Keely conclude our list of rare and endangered horse breeds from North America. Many of the horses we cover in this part are Spanish Colonial horses, a breed or group of breeds that can trace their roots back to Spanish colonies and conquistadors. Many strains of Spanish Colonial horse have remained genetically isolated for centuries and are rare due to this isolation.
Luckily, there were horse lovers whose passion for their favorite breed led them to action. Today we will recognize their efforts by exploring the rare and threatened breeds of equine originating from North America.
Sources:
If you enjoy this podcast, please take a moment to rate and subscribe from wherever you're listening to HFH! We greatly appreciate your feedback and support. You can also find us on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok!
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We did it again. We yapped so much that this topic has to be another 2-part series. This time, Keagan and Keely discuss rare and endangered horse breeds that originate in North America.
There are around 400 breeds of horses in the world. Somebreeds are less known than others, because they are considered rare or endangered. The stories of how most breeds became threatened are similar to one another. Mechanization rendered horses obsolete in their main uses for transportation, agriculture, and warfare. This resulted in a global drop in the equine population around the early-to-mid 1900’s. Ironically, the United States, a country known for the iconic cowboy on horseback, was particularly quick to replace horses with machines in the early 1900’s.
Luckily, there were horse lovers whose passion for their favorite breed led them to action. Today we will recognize their efforts by exploring the rare and threatened breeds of equine originating from North America.
Sources:
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Bucephalus returns in the conclusion of our first 2-part episode. And I suppose we mention Alexander the Great as well. In this episode Keagan and Keely focus on the biggest battles of Alexander the Great's campaign. Without horses and a cavalry, Alexander almost certainly would not have seen the success that he did during his life.
TW: discussion of animal abuse from 39:15 - 45:26
Sources include:
If you enjoy this podcast, please take a moment to rate and subscribe from wherever you're listening to HFH! We greatly appreciate your feedback and support. You can also find us on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok!
Bucephalus, the trusty steed of Alexander the Great, is exalted as the most famous horse in history. In our first two parter episode, we begin with a deep dive into the life and husbandry of an ancient Greek horse. The Greeks were late to the equestrian game when it comes to successful ancient civilizations - yet they adapted to horse husbandry quickly. By exploring the earliest western literature on horse husbandry, written by Xenophon, Keagan and Keely get a peek into the life Bucephalus may have led.
Sources include:
If you enjoy this podcast, please take a moment to rate and subscribe from wherever you're listening to HFH! We greatly appreciate your feedback and support. You can also find us on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok!
In this episode of History from Horseback we welcome guest Dr. Shelby Landmark onto the podcast. She is currently the Mellon Humanities Postdoctoral Fellow for Disability Representation at National Historic Sites, located at the Home of Franklin D. Roosevelt in the Hudson Valley area of New York.
We discuss how her professional interests in disability representation in media brought her closer to horses in an unexpected way. We also explore some of Franklin D. Roosevelt's and his family's relationship with horses, and the tales (or... tails?) that they collected over generations.
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You can find Shelby's socials at @horsehistorian on Facebook and Instagram.
Keely and Keagan are back in the saddle with a topic that most horse lovers have likely heard of. "Black Beauty" is famous for being a best-selling children's novel from the late 19th century, yet you may be shocked to hear that it was never intended to be a story only for children. Author Anna Sewell's intentions ran deeper than entertaining kids - she sought to revolutionize workhorse welfare. Did she succeed? In this episode we delve into living and working conditions for horses and city-dwellers in the 19th century. And considering that our topic is equine welfare... this episode is a bit of a doozy. So sit back as we explore "Black Beauty" and the history of equine welfare in the late 18th century. 🐴🖤📖
Sources include:
If you enjoy this podcast, please take a moment to rate and subscribe from wherever you're listening to HFH!We greatly appreciate your feedback and support. You can also find us on Facebook and Instagram!
We have a new kind of episode for our listeners today. In this episode of History from Horseback we welcome a guest onto the podcast. We have an excellent conversation with NATRC Executive Director Sarah Smith about the sport of competitive trail riding.
We discuss what NATRC (North American Trail Riding Conference) is, what competitions entail, and the history of the organization. Sarah's passion and love for the sport is contagious, and now Keagan and Keely are eager to try it out themselves!
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You can learn more about NATRC on their website: natrc.org
In this episode of History from Horseback, step into the world of the Scythians. As the original horse-riding warriors of the Eurasian steppes, their prowess and culture influenced generations long before the Mongols or the Huns.
We’ll explore the rise of the Scythians from the 9th century BCE, tracing their meteoric dominance as master horsemen who revolutionized warfare by introducing mounted cavalry. Discover how these fierce nomads not only conquered enemies like the Assyrians but also earned the fascination and fear of the Greeks, who saw them as both brutal and captivating figures. We'll discuss the legendary Scythian women warriors—likely the inspiration for the mythic Amazons—and delve into how these formidable riders balanced life on the move, innovation in battle, and a unique society where even mares’ milk held a special place.
So, mount up and join us as we uncover the captivating story of the Scythians—the first lords of the steppe. 🐎⚔️🌾
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Sources for today's episode:
As October deepens and the chill of fall sets in, join Keely and Keagan for a spooky journey into the world of horse-like monsters from folklore! In this Halloween-themed episode of “History from Horseback”, we explore the haunting legends that have been passed down through generations, from the misty lochs of Scotland to the dark rainforests of the Philippines.
We begin with the tale of the kelpie, a beautiful yet deadly water spirit that lures unsuspecting victims into its grasp. From there, we’ll travel across cultures, discovering creatures like the shape-shifting nix, the eerie nuckelavee, the mischievous tikbalang, and more. Whether it's a creature that haunts your local river, a trickster lurking in the forest, or a myth that still leaves you looking over your shoulder, these legendary beings remind us that the natural world holds both beauty and danger.
So, saddle up and prepare to dive into these captivating legends of water spirits, tricksters, and eerie equines—just in time for the spookiest time of the year! 🎃🐎👻
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In this episode of History from Horseback, Keagan and Keely saddle up and ride back in time to 1860, when the Pony Express was born—a short-lived venture that would forever change the American frontier. As the Civil War loomed, California's strategic importance became critical, but its isolation on the West Coast posed a serious threat to the Union. That's when Russell, Majors, and Waddell, a freighting firm, devised an audacious solution: a 2,000-mile mail route across the Wild West, delivered by horseback riders.
Despite its brief run—just a year and a half—the Pony Express became a cultural icon, symbolizing the grit and spirit of the American frontier. In this episode, we explore the historical context that made the Pony Express so crucial, the challenges riders faced, and why it left an enduring legacy.
We also take a look at some legendary riders, like the famed "Pony Bob" Haslam, whose feats of endurance still amaze to this day. And we’ll answer the question: why did such an expensive, risky venture come to an end so quickly? Tune in as we dig deep into the history, the challenges, and the surprising ways the Pony Express still influences us today.
Join us on this ride through history as we explore the legacy of the Pony Express. 🐎💨
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Sources for today’s episode: