Sarmatian horses

[Michael Kerr]

Hi Alanus, you are right of course, the Wusun got a Han princess for the cost of 1000 horses when the wealthiest Wusun had herds of up to 5000 horses, and they probably couldn't care less what the Han called their horses and the Ferghana breed were picky eaters one of the Han envoy's mentioned that the people of Ferghana loved their wine and their horses loved their alfalfa. The envoys brought back grapes and alfalfa and they were planted on lands surrounding emperor's summer palace. I suppose what Wusun really wanted were gifts so leader could distribute them to ensure loyalty of his tribe/clan. I thought Ferghana horses were extinct but I found this article about "Blood Sweating horses" below

http://www.wantchinatimes.com/news-subcl...8&cid=1103

Here is another article giving the history of China's quest for "Heavenly Horses"

http://www.karakumstud.com/web/KaraKum.n...NKH-7E9K24

Speaking of the Wusun, and this is only speculation on my part. I read in a couple of books about a large community of "Alans" supposedly living on the coast opposite Formosa. if true could these have been Wusun maybe patrolling this part of the coast against pirates or invaders. If they were the most eastern of Alan subgroups couldn't they or some of them headed east instead of west, maybe encouraged by Chinese like Romans did with goths and Alans in Europe. Allow whole groups including families to settle in lands under threat or uninhabited because of war or threat of invasion. Just a thought anyway.
Regards
Michael Kerr