History of Technology in India, Vol. I: From Antiquity to c. 1200 A.D. v1.c27.s3.t3: Control of Animals Including training

History of Technology in India, Vol. I: From Antiquity to c. 1200 A.D. v1.c27.s3.t3

Language: English

Control of Animals Including training

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A fairly good account of the requirements of horses in terms of action, pace and speed is given in chapter 3 of Aśvavaidyakam. śloka 93 reads ‘A chearful horse runs swiftly, lifting the legs high up as if they touched burning coals’. A good horse should be able to cover 400 cubits in 16 fillips. If it covers 380 or 360 cubits, the horse is medium or lowest, respectively.

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While horses have been classified into various breeds according to the speed (besides other criterion), importance of good training is nonetheless, highlighted. Citation from Magasthene’s Indika reveals that the training of horses was imparted during Mauryan period also. ‘Those trained from boyhood can control horse with bit and bridle and can make them move at a measured pace and in a straight course.

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Trainers train them by forcing them to gallop round and round in a ring. Such trainers have strong hand and thorough knowledge of horses. They could control with ease a team of four high mettled steeds when whorling round a circle’.

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Chapter 7 of *Aśvavaidyakam* is devoted to the rules for training horses (*Vahan Vidhāne*), under following heads:

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i. Classes of horses (*Vipraditad vahana vivaraṇam*)

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ii. Nature and strength of horses and their training (*Satvaśakititad vahana vivaraṇam*)

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iii. Description of training ground (*Raṅga bhūmi vivaraṇam*)

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iv. Merits and Demerits of a rider (*Doṣa guṇa taraṅga vivaraṇam*)

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v. Duties of a rider (*Sadi kārya vivaraṇam*)

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Modern books on horses describe five types of gaits of horses, all of which are provided both in *Śukranīti* as well as *Aśvavaidyakam*. In Table 4 is given the terminology used for various types of gaits.

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Table 4 — Gaits of Horses Terminology in

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Linked texts (1)

Aśvavaidyaka — Jayadatta Sūri, Sanskrit