Since the dawn of civilization, humans have pondered the question: can we ride? From horses to bicycles to surfboards, riding has long captivated our imaginations. If you’re short on time, here’s a quick answer to your question: Yes, humans can ride many different animals and vehicles, from horses to bicycles to surfboards. In this nearly 3,000 word article, we’ll take a deep dive into the history, science, and debate around human riding.
We’ll start by looking at the origins of riding in human history – when did it first emerge and why? Next, we’ll explore the science behind how humans ride, including balance, coordination, and athleticism.
A key section will analyze whether riding is an innate human ability or one that must be learned. We’ll also compare human riding capabilities to other animals.
The Origins and History of Riding in Human Civilization
Domestication of the Horse in Central Asia
The story of riding begins over 6,000 years ago with the domestication of the horse in Central Asia. Evidence suggests the Botai people living north of the Black Sea may have been one of the first groups to tame horses around 3500 BC. They lived in an open grassland habitat perfect for herd animals.
Through capture and slow taming over generations, an ancient partnership between humans and horses emerged.
Early domesticated horses were smaller than modern breeds but still provided a means of transportation and source of meat and milk. Riding itself likely developed as the easiest way to control herds or oversee grazing animals across large open tracts of land.
Horses also became a resource for ancient trade routes across Central Asia, China and the Middle East.
Riding Emerges Alongside Early Warfare
The strategic advantages of the horse-human partnership soon extended into warfare. Mounted riders could travel faster and further than soldiers on foot. Light cavalry appeared in West Asia by around 2000 BC, where horses gave the Hittites and other groups increased mobility in battle.
Chariots also emerged around this time as platforms for combat archers.
Over the next centuries, militaries continued advancing tactics for cavalry units. Bigger, stronger horses were bred specifically for battle, able to withstand the chaos of warfare while carrying armored riders.
Famous examples like the Assyrians perfected the use of shock cavalry charges to smash enemy formations.
Riding Spreads Alongside Empires and Trade Routes
With the growth of major civilizations and overland commerce, the need for riding animals increased further. Light cavalry provided security for trade caravans along the Silk Road network between China, India and Europe.
The legends of the Huns and Mongols centered on warriors seemingly as skilled with a horse as an arrow.
By the heights of the Roman Empire, sophisticated breeding programs and training facilities for horses existed across Eurasia and North Africa. But while horses remained expensive, they gave whichever army mastered their use an edge over opponents.
Well into the Middle Ages, the fate of battles and conquests continued to depend greatly on the rider.
So next time we saddle up or hop on for a ride, we can remember it’s a small echo of an ancient partnership central to the growth of civilization itself!
The Science and Biology Behind the Human Ability to Ride
Balance, Core Strength, and Coordination
Riding requires strong balance and coordination in order to control the motions of an animal or vehicle. Core muscles in the abdomen, back, pelvis and thighs must contract to stabilize the upper body over the saddle or seat (1).
Riders engage muscle groups in the inner thigh, buttocks and calves to maintain balance through shifting centers of gravity. Balance skills develop in early childhood as part of motor learning.
Neurological Adaptations for Processing Motion
The brains of experienced riders adapt to smooth motion processing. Studies show experienced equestrians have fewer motion-triggered neurons firing in response to a moving scene compared to novice riders. This demonstrates neural efficiency from repetition.
Riders must integrate signals from the inner ear, pressure receptors, muscles and joints to understand body position and movement in space (2).
| Brain Region | Function in Riding |
| Cerebellum | Balance and coordination |
| Parietal lobe | Spatial orientation and processing motion |
| Motor cortex | Control of voluntary movements |
Athleticism and Physical Endurance Needed for Riding
Riding uses whole-body athleticism. Heart and breathing rates increase with the effort of controlling an animal. Aerobic endurance provides stamina, while muscle strength allows riders to withstand impacts from trotting or jumps.
Elite competitors follow demanding fitness regimens with core training, cardio and targeted strength building (3).
The physical demands depend on the riding discipline. Western pleasure riding requires less energy expenditure than steeplechase racing. But all forms challenge balance, body control and resilience to impacts from an independent animal.
References:
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3406229/
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1878929321000952
- https://www.ucdavis.edu/news/heart-rate-can-predict-horses-next-moves/
Is Riding Innate or Learned? The Ongoing Debate
Evidence Supporting Riding as an Innate Ability
Many researchers argue that humans have an innate, evolutionary predisposition for riding abilities. Studies show that even very young children, as young as 6 months old, display behaviors that suggest a natural inclination for riding, such as quickly learning to balance and steer toy vehicles.
Additionally, the human body seems anatomically suited for riding with our upright torso, flexible spines, and ability to grip handles and pedals with our hands and feet. Our brains also appear wired for riding tasks, rapidly developing the spatial judgment and coordination needed to navigate a ride.
This evidence indicates riding abilities may be deeply embedded in our genes and neural networks.
Arguments for Why Riding Must Be Learned
However, other experts insist riding skills must be learned through extensive practice and instruction. They point out that without proper training, most humans cannot safely operate real-world vehicles like bicycles, motorcycles, or cars.
Additionally, varieties of riding differ greatly across cultures, suggesting nurture rather than nature. For instance, while riding animals like horses and camels is common in some societies, others rely primarily on human-powered or motorized options.
Such diversity implies riding competencies are not innate but rather culturally transmitted. Further evidence that learning is essential can be seen in the brain’s neuroplasticity and ability to rewire itself as new riding abilities develop.
A Synthesis: Both Innate Ability and Learned Skills Needed
In reviewing the evidence, it seems likely that both innate predispositions and learned skills are needed for proficient riding. Human brains may be primed for riding from an evolutionary standpoint, but practice is still required to hone natural proclivities into expert performance.
Just as language acquisition relies on an inborn capacity for speech combined with environmental exposure, riding fluency probably emerges from the interaction between nature and nurture. While more research is needed, it appears our genes provide a head start while our experiences shape skill.
So in a way, we are born to ride, but we must also learn to ride well!
How Do Human Riding Capabilities Compare to Other Animals?
Horses as the Preeminent Riding Animal
When it comes to riding animals, horses stand out as the most commonly domesticated and ridden creature throughout history. Evidence shows horses were first domesticated around 4000 BC, and they quickly became invaluable for transportation, warfare, farming, and more.
Their athleticism, strength, speed, and stamina made them perfectly suited for bearing human riders over long distances. Amazingly, a horse can carry over 20% of its body weight – on average between 150-200 pounds.
This gives even relatively small horses the ability to comfortably carry most adult humans. With proper saddle and harness fittings, horses can run up to 30 mph for miles while carrying a rider. Truly, the horse’s physical and mental attributes make it the gold standard for riding animals.
Dogsledding, Elephant Riding, and Other Animals
While horses are the most common riding animal, humans have trained others to bear burdens and provide transportation. For instance, dog sledding has been a vital mode of winter travel and transportation for Arctic cultures for thousands of years.
Teams of specially bred dogs like Siberian Huskies and Alaskan Malamutes can pull hundreds of pounds of supplies or passengers. Elephants have a long history as riding animals in Asia, able to carry several passengers in specialized seats called howdahs.
Their intelligence and strength make them well-suited for this purpose. Throughout history, other animals like donkeys, mules, oxen, llamas, reindeer, camels, and even ostriches have been ridden or used as pack animals to varying degrees.
Humans as the Most Versatile Riding Animal
When examining the full range of transportation methods humans employ, an interesting fact emerges – humans themselves are likely the most versatile and adaptable “riding animal” on Earth. While other creatures are limited by biology and environment, humans can adapt to ride in virtually any setting.
For example:
- Bicycles – with proper design, humans can pedal to efficiently travel moderate distances on land
- Cars, trucks, trains – within motorized vehicles designed for the purpose, humans can travel at high speeds for hundreds of miles
- Boats – humans can paddle kayaks and canoes for water travel, or pilot massive ships
- Aircraft – with the invention of airplanes and gliders, humans gained the ability to fly at extreme speeds and altitudes
And this list barely scratches the surface of human transportation methods! From hunkering in a torpedo submarine thousands of feet below sea level to strapping into a rocket hurtling past the atmosphere, no environment on or around Earth is out of reach with human engineering.
While specialized morphology gives certain animals advantages in specific niches, humans’ adaptive intelligence, skill, and technology make us unrivaled in versatility as riders. Truly, humans themselves represent the pinnacle of transportation engineering.
Conclusion
In conclusion, while the specifics are still debated, the evidence clearly shows that humans can ride. Our athleticism, balance, and adaptability have allowed us to ride horses, camels, elephants, and more for thousands of years.
And with innovations like bicycles, surfboards, and roller coasters, human riding continues to evolve today.
While riding requires learned skills, humans appear uniquely suited to it among the animal kingdom. No other species rivals our versatility at riding such a wide array of animals and vehicles. So next time you hop on a bike, know that you are tapping into an ancient, powerful, and uniquely human capability.
