January 13, 2026
Researchers Discover the Crucial Genetic Mutations That Made Horses Rideable
In the animal kingdom, there are only a handful of species that we can rely upon for transportation, ranging from elephants and camels to mules and llamas. But horses are arguably the most ubiquitous. For millennia, humans have ridden atop these sleek, muscular creatures, whose presence radically transformed travel, warfare, agriculture, commerce, and culture. Scientists have long puzzled over what specifically primed horses for domestication—and new research may just hold the answer.
