How would the world be different without horses other than no manure to clean up?

Answer 1

Without horses, we would not have many of the medicines we do today. It's true- most medicines were originally medicines and supplements for horses, but vets and doctors discovered that they could help people, too. Also, we would not have had the basis for developing cars and would not have won some wars that we did- including the revoulutionary war. And we would have lost one of the most beautiful, graceful, and noble creatures on Earth.

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Horses are one of the few animals that can be trained to cooperate with humans, and the only one capable of carrying loads over long distances in varied types of terrain and climate.

Without them the history of the Old World would certainly have been vastly different. Trade would have been limited to seagoing transportation. Agriculture would have been rather different. Wars would have been limited in scope, and great empires would not likely have emerged because there would have been no need. Who needs to own land that they can't get to with relative ease? There would likely have been no Revolutionary War, period, because there most likely would not have been an England.

The remarks about medicine are incorrect: humans were doctoring humans for many thousands of years before horses were domesticated about 6000 years ago, and they continued to do so successfully in some parts of the world for several thousand years more before horses arrived.

Answer 2

Without horses, transportation and communication would have evolved differently, as horses were crucial in these areas throughout history. The development of societies, economies, and warfare may have taken different paths as well. Additionally, horse-related sports and activities, such as horseback riding and polo, would not exist.