Final answer:
Horses significantly influenced military strategies, social hierarchies, and economic developments throughout history, changing the course of cultures and societies from ancient times to the present.
Step-by-step explanation:
To comprehend why horses played such an essential role in the history of various cultures, one must recognize their profound impact on military tactics, social structures, and the economy.
Horses were integral as war machines, affording increased mobility and power to armies, like the king of Zhao's mounted archers. Beyond warfare, the adoption and mastery of horsemanship by the aristocracy fortified their status as defenders and leaders within their societies.
When handheld guns revolutionized warfare, the mounted aristocracy's decline in power also marked a socioeconomic shift. In American contexts, horses were pivotal in altering the lifestyle of Native American tribes, transforming them into skilled vaqueros and influencing their cultural development.
This influence can be traced from the ancient Roman games to the service animals in today's societies, illustrating that human-animal relationships are deeply embedded in our culture, as shown by the man in Delhi sitting beside his calf.