Contemporary riding horse was spread to the world by Viking of medieval Europe

ByJennifer Boyer

When thinking of the horse riding scene, I think that there are many people who appear to the head of the person who moves up and down in small increments along with the sound "packa pacca", but in reality this movement varies greatly depending on how the horse walks. Of course, riding comfortable horses are commonly used anywhere in the world, but in reality there are things that are comfortable to ride depending on the type of horse, and the reason why such horses spread to the world has rampaged northern Europe Pirate group ·A buffetThe research results that have been announced.

The origin of ambling horses: Current Biology
http://www.cell.com/current-biology/fulltext/S0960-9822(16)30752-7

Today's Smooth - Running Horses May Owe Their Genetics to the Vikings | Science | Smithsonian
http://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/todays-smooth-running-horses-may-owe-their-genetics-vikings-180960055/

Even if a horse calls "walk", there are various ways of walking there in fact, such way of walking is gaitting (Step) Is called. In the following movies, "Pace", "Stepping Pace" which brings right and left front and rear legs at the same time, "Stepping Pace" in the following movies, "Trot (fast walk: hayaashi)" which makes the diagonal legs back and forth at the same time, "Fox Trot" which slightly shifts the timing of grounding, etc. are introduced.

The Gaited Horse Gait Spectrum - YouTube


There are also Icelandic horses that show "Super Trot" with less tremor, especially among the trot (fast walk).

Super Tölt on an Icelandic Horse - YouTube


That kind of stepAmblingIs present between "walking at normal speed" and "fast walking" walking fast, it is known as a smooth ride with a very comfortable ride. However, some of the horses have a solid "Gate Keeper" that can naturally do this embringing and solids that require training, and it isSpecial mutation in "DMRT3 gene"It was revealed in 2012 that it is.

This mutation is expressed in the neurons of the horse's spinal cord and is indispensable for the development of coordinated leg movement. In modern times, it is clear that gates keeper's horses that can walk smoothly like this are present all over the world, mainly "Horses living in Hokkaido"Hokkaido Horses",So-calledIidako(Dokko) as well as horses for agricultural farming in South Africa and horses in "Tennessee walking hose species" living in the United States.

As you can see, it was found that mutations allowed the types that could be unburbed, but when such kinds were born and where they were born, how to spread to the world It was said that it was unknown whether it became it. A research team consisting of many scientists has succeeded in finding out its origin and spread by investigating 4396 heads and 141 individuals, including 90 species of past species, dating back to around 6000 BC. about.

ByAlex Berger

The research team investigated whether the individual is "Gatekeeper" by investigating the DMR3 gene contained in the DNA of each individual. As a result, two horses living in the current UK York area from 850 to 900 AD and individuals with genes of Gate Keeper were discovered on horses living in Iceland from the 9 th to the 11 th century It seems that it was understood that it was done.

Although the origin of the gatekeeper was found almost, the research team has led to the conclusion about how it diffused around the world from there, and it was Viking that played the role I am doing. Among other things, the fact that Britain and Iceland are island countries, the fact that it is impossible for a horse to swim and move to another land also supports this conclusion.

Viking swept the Western Europe in the "Viking era" from the 9th century to the 11th century, and also trade with the countries that were in the British Isles of the time. Among them, Viking wasKingdom of NorthumbriaI notice that there are horses of the type that allow people to walk and can walk smoothly. After that, Viking got the horse by buying, selling or looting in some way, and brought it to Iceland, which was the land of Viking of the time.

ByNational museet - National Museum of Denmark

Since the horses did not exist in Iceland of that time, the pedigree of only the horses of the gatekeeper that Viking brought brings prosperous on the island. Later, when the time for Viking to leave Iceland came, they took the horses of Gate Keeper and moved to Xintiandi, and it is believed that the horses of Gate Keeper were propagated to the land around the world along with that I will.

This theory is thought to be supported by the fact that there was no "road" in Iceland of the time at that time. The fact that there are no cleanly prepared roads is that the place where the horse walks is decoctorial, and it is thought that a horse with good ride comfort is still chosen for such a place to be useful. He is an evolutionary geneticist at the University of Potsdam, Germany, a member of the research teamMitch Hof WriterMr. said, "If you've ever had a day on horseback, you will of course choose a type with a smooth ride."