The farther away humanity departs from nature, the less ordinary people know and remember about it. For example, not everyone will say that science is studied by hippology. And many do not even know that such a thing exists. A more or less educated person will be able to guess the subject of study by the name of science - but in an age of narrow specializations of people with knowledge that does not relate to their direct activity, it becomes less and less. Accordingly, the ranks of those who can say that science is studying hippology or what ichthyologists do are rapidly narrowing. For most, these are just unfamiliar, albeit beautifully sounding words.
History of hippology
Meanwhile, the semi-official history of this science has nearly three millennia, even if it received its modern name only six hundred years ago. Since hippology is the science of horses, at all times, while this animal was a constant and very important companion of man, it has been continuously developed and improved. The first records related to hippology date back many hundreds of years BC. Of course, they contained little theoretical data, but practical observations were carefully preserved and analyzed. They mainly concerned the use of horses, their dressage and exterior - external data.
Over time, the scientific interests of hippologists branched out. By the end of the 19th century, they began to include the origin of the horse and its natural evolution, physiology, anatomy, biological features of reproduction, the formation of resistant breeds and the maintenance of breeding characteristics.
Since hippology is the science of horses, its name is formed from the corresponding Greek words. Hippos in translation means a horse, and logos - a teaching about him (in the interlinear translation "word").
Hippology in Russia
While the horse was a valuable component of different areas of the economy, science in the vast Russian state not only did not lag behind the world, but in some ways even surpassed it. Hippology was a compulsory subject for officers and cadets of artillery and horse troops and schools. Directional breeding enriched the world with many unique horse breeds (for example, Oryol trotters are still appreciated by horse breeders).
However, after World War I, hippology gradually began to disappear from Russian territories. The current situation is such that it is taught in very truncated form only to veterinarian students, and based on materials published in the 60s. A curious fact: one gets the impression that the last who knew for sure that he studied hippology and was well versed in horses was the legendary Budenny commander, who edited the five-volume book “The Book of the Horse,” which contained the most complete hippological data at that time. Since cavalry ceased to be a decisive military force, and tractors and combines replaced horses in the fields, the science of them became virtually unnecessary.
What science studies hippology
Abroad, knowledge about horses is saved and grants for their study are allocated, although in a more modest framework than a century ago. However, various directions of interest to hippologists are still supported:
- The anatomy of horses has been thoroughly studied. However, her research does not stop: scientists are interested in the influence of a variety of factors on the structure of the animal.
- Physiology is studied mainly from the point of view of breed characteristics and the degree of their suitability for various purposes.
- Breeding work, the creation of new breeds, are in demand more than others.
- Despite the wild decline in equestrian populations across the planet, horses have survived in racetracks and in pedigree herds. Hippology scientists are developing the right diet, conditions for keeping and caring for horses.
- Hippology has its own branch in veterinary medicine: the treatment of horses involves a lot of subtleties and nuances.
The use of horses in the treatment of complex childhood diseases, in particular cerebral palsy, is completely new. It was called hippotherapy, and among hippologists there was a specialization of zoopsychologists responsible for establishing contacts between humans and animals.
Directions of hippology
In our country, the science of hippology (photo of its object above) is better known under the name of horse breeding, which, in turn, has several directions:
- breeding - breeding of existing breeds in compliance with the purity of blood; such horses are very popular as an export commodity;
- work-user: although the horse has long lost its significance as an agricultural animal, horses have retained a certain significance in personal farms and in the steppe zones;
- productive - horse meat, although inferior in volume to beef and pork, is nevertheless a valuable product and is widely used in sausage production;
- sports: rearing, training and training of the main participants in equestrian competitions - horses.
Possible perspectives
Sad as it may be, until horses again become an important part of human life, hippology, the science of horses, will not be reborn. There are some enlightenments: not so long ago a good textbook on horses by I. Khienkina appeared. Yes, and hippologists are categorically not enough at the existing stud farms. However, most likely, the science of horses will continue to gradually disappear from the modern world.