Sarmatian horses

[Alanus]

Hi, I have just finished a book "The Endurance Horse" by Ann Hyland who also wrote "Equus The Horse in the Roman World". In this book she stated that the (I presume she is talking about the Roxolani as she keeps referring to the Sarmatian Cavalry on Trajan's Column" that Sarmatian horses were not mere steppe ponies but had the tough blood of Ferghana thoroughbreds running in their veins. The Chinese called these horses the "Blood Sweating Horses of Ferghana." apparently because parasites gorge on the horses blood to such an extent that it appears as if the horse is sweating blood. Legend has it that they were descended from the horses left behind by Alexander the Great. They were noted for their speed and endurance. Also one other query I have is how would a fully armoured Roxolani heavy cavalryman mount his horse? Not my quotes but Ann Hyland's.

Hello all,

Prior to Emperor Wu-di's importation of the "blood-sweating horses" from the Yue-chi in Ferghana, the emperor acquired a breed from the Wusun, which he called "Heavenly Horses." It's exceedingly hard to link these two breeds to Alexander. However, we still have a rather Victorian view-- "These stupid barbarians [who rode and bred horses for 2,000 years before Alexander was born] could NOT have possibly developed a superior horse that the emperor of China drooled over."

I gag at this sort of Graeco-philic scholarship. :-x

The horses found in Altai kurgans are as large and well-built as the Akal-takae... which is believed to have descended from them. They are 2 centuries older than Alexander's incursions upon the Saka. Coincidentally (or not), Alexander's father (Phillip) imported horses from the Crimea to improve his stock. :whistle: