Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-11-08
The Cult of the Horse.
Gondon Standard.)


II is. perhaps. small matter for wonder
that the nations who first tanned the
horse for riding attached high honor 10
the creature, seated on whose back they
secured with such swiftness. The exhlla-
ration Of riding Is one which custom does
not stale, and which affects the civilized
rider of to-day, IL he be OF an emotional
nature. probably almost as keenly as IL
did the ancient Scythian, German, or
Slav. In addition TO this, neighboring
races who had not this art looked upon
those who had 1t with a kind OF super
stitious wonder. weaving strange stories
about them. The horsemen OF Ihessaly
appeared 10 the other Greeks through a
mist OF fable as centaurs, half man, half
brute, but wholly divine. And In the
frank fashion OF all primitive people, the
hOrseman gave back TO the horse the glory
that he received reflected from II, and
made OF his comrade in war and chase a
kind Of deity.
The ancient Germans took oracles from
white horses, Just as the Egyptians did
from their sacred oxen. The animals were
kept Ia groves. and gave augury oy nelgh1
Ing. Among the Slavs the sword combined
with the horse TO foretell future events.
The weapons were planted in the ground,
and the horses led among them; by the
movements Of the beasts the attending
priests Judged the will OF the gods. Among
the Norsemen the sacrifice of a horse and
the eating of its flesh was a token or
sacramento allegiance TO Odin. Among
the ancient Irish, when a king was crown
ed I'm Ulster, 1t was customary TO slay
white mare and boil IL In vat into this
vat the newly-made king descended, and
there sat- drinking the broth and tasting
small portions OF the meat. The eating
of horse flesh was so well recognized as
q heather rite that the early Christian
saints forbade IL 10 their converts. Among
the Scythians the horse was deemed
sacred TO the sun. and it's worship
crossed the Himalayas, and was early
esta biished among the Rajput Kings.
Next TO a human being, who probably
was, as a matter OF fact, never sacrificed
i'm ancient India. the horse was the most
acceptable Offering to the gods. IT Ia laid
down IN the Puranas that the sacrincer
OF hundred horses Gusts Indra, the
king OF the gods. from his throne, ana
reigns in Paradise (Swarga) I'm his stead.
There Is no record, however, or any re
having earned this surprising felicity.
Kings, on attaining the throne. usually
sacrificed a horse, their tributary princes
performing the more mental duties con-
nected with the Aswamedha (horse-sacri-
feel Indeed, even the office or porter IN
this solemn rite could only be assumed by
one OF royal blood. one OF the DOCKS OF
the great Hindu epic. the Mahabharata,
contains an account OF the Ashwamedha
held BY Yudhisthira, King OF the Pandns,
when he had by the defeat OF the kau-
rayas firmly established his rule over
Northern India. The sacred horse was
turned loose 10 wander wherever II listed
for year. while the royal army followed
IL everywhere at q respectful distance.
Other tribes whose pastures IL crossed
were given the option OF either turning
out IN force to join the triumph OF the
horse or OF accepting wager OF battle.
At the end Of the year the horse was led
back TO the palace and there sacrificed.