New Books Network Ludovic Orlando, "Horses: A 4,000-Year Genetic Journey Across the World" (Princeton UP, 2025)
Nov 20, 2025
Ludovic Orlando, a CNRS Silver Medal-winning researcher and director at the Centre for Anthropobiology in Toulouse, dives into the fascinating world of horse genetics. He reveals that modern horses originated about 4,200 years ago in the southwestern Russian steppe, challenging previous theories with genetic evidence. Ludovic also discusses the influence of Arabian horses, the historical significance of mules, and the impact of inbreeding on horse health. Plus, he shares insights on future technologies like genomic editing in equine breeding.
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Genomes Reveal Horse Domestication Time
- Ancient DNA lets researchers trace horse family trees backward through millennia.
- Orlando used genomic sequencing of bones and teeth to locate domestication ~4,200 years ago.
Two Domestications, Only One Survived
- Botai shows an earlier domestication episode around 5,500 years ago that ultimately failed.
- Modern domestic horses instead descend from a later ~4,200-year-old lineage from the western Eurasian steppe.
Rapid Global Spread From A Tiny Origin
- A single small steppe region produced the domestic bloodline that spread globally in ~200 years.
- Military and transport advantages drove rapid adoption across Europe and Asia.
