Hippology

The Hippologie ( from Ancient Greek ἵππος hippos 'horse', and λόγος lógos 'doctrine'; see -logy ) is the science of horse.

Since the horse was as a pet for many people of high importance since its use, first written references to horse breeding, horse keeping, education and training of horse and rider or driver emerged early on.

The first received these testimonies comes from Mitanni equerry Kikkuli in the 14th century BC. This work describes training and maintenance of carriage horses; the translation of terms is controversial to this day.

From mittelassyrischer time there is a text about the horses training. The first major work on horsemanship comes from Xenophon, the BC described the gathered riding in the 4th century and whose work to date has validity.

The first surviving to the present day post- antique European treatise on the art of riding, Livro da ensinança de bem cavalgar toda sela, written Dom Duarte I, King of Portugal, the philosopher-king, to 1434. The only manuscript is located in the French National Library in Paris.

In the important riding schools in the Renaissance advanced study of horse science and Pferdeheilkunde practical equestrian training in the arena belonged (see horsemanship ) course included. Thus, the École de cavalry ( 1733) by François de la Robichon Noirmoutier employs detail with issues of attitude, horse care, feeding and equine medicine.

In the late 18th century then veterinary medicine was taught as a discipline at the first universities in the horse medicine initially and again today still occupy an important place. A little later emerged, often connected to the veterinary institutions, the first Hufbeschlagsschulen. A correspondence to Hippologie there for no other animal, not even for the dog, like the horse one of the " best friends of man ."

Today, the science deals from horse among other things with the history of the species of the genus Equidae and domestic horse breeds (eg archeology, analyzes ), their building / exterior (eg, radiographic studies) and their natural behavior ( field research ), always with the aim of thereby draw conclusions on the practical understanding of the domestic horse, his building, medical problems or problems while riding, its behavior and its optimum posture by man. The cultural history of riding and use of the horse by the people and the cultural and historical relationship between man and horse is described and analyzed.

Horse Science is offered as a bachelor's degree at the University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna (since 2003) and at the Swiss College of Agriculture ( since 2007). Studies Equine Science is also available in the Netherlands and the UK. The University offers horse science since 2006 as a master's degree program.