History Main / BornInTheSaddle

* ''Literature/ASongOfIceAndFire'': The Dothraki live and breathe horses and don't let you forget about it. They worship horse-gods, and talk about practically everything in terms of equine metaphors. And changing the word from Khan to Khal isn't fooling anyone, either. They even refer to what we call "doggy-style" as "horse-fashion", and most will have sex in no other way. Their ChosenOne is called "The Stallion Who Mounts The World".

* It's said that Mongolian man wasn't much of a man if he didn't have a horse.

* Medieval [[KnightInShiningArmor knights]]. Their name in most languages (caballero, chevalier, cavalheiro, Ritter, riddare etc) refers to "rider" or "horseman". They learned and practiced horseback skills in their early childhood, and a medieval proverb was "a boy who hasn't mastered a horse by the age of 12 is fit only to be a priest". Most medieval noblewomen were just as proficient with horses as their brothers, and rode astride--while women have been riding either astride or aside in ''regular'' saddles for a long time, the ''modern type'' of side-saddle is [[NewerThanTheythink a Renaissance innovation.]]
* Juan-Juan (a.k.a. the Rourans), Xiongnu, Khitans, basically anyone living north/northwest of the Chinese Empire were almost always predominantly proud horse people. Their raids proved destructive for much of Chinese history, giving rise to a massive linked system of forts and walls that eventually became the Great Wall.

* [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Takeda_clan The Takeda clan]] of [[UsefulNotes/SengokuPeriod Sengoku Japan]], despite their fame as horsemen, (to the point where they were nicknamed the "the mobile army"), subvert this a bit. Their cavalry did not make up a major part of their army, but was still widely feared because of them (right up until [[DefeatingTheUndefeatable they were crushed at the Battle of Nagashino]])
* The Tibetans were nomads that were historically known for their horseback riding along with their {{Horse Archer}}y. In fact, it was mostly their horseback riding that allowed them to establish an empire that rivaled the Tang dynasty and had one of the most feared cavalry troops in central Asia (more infamously, Tibetan cavalrymen wore [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tibetan_armor heavy armor]] that rivaled the durability of a medieval European knight's armor to the point of deflecting arrow shots). Much of their horse culture died down when Buddhism was introduced in Tibet and many Tibetans abandoned the horseback lifestyle for an established religious culture, but much of the Tibetan nomadic lifestyle (from horseback to archery) is still present today in some degree.
* Turks and Turkic people. Part of the reason why Greeks used to be so angry with the Turkish people (apart from invading Greece) was the fact that the Eastern Roman/Byzantine Empire (which was predominantly Greek) fell to a people that initially were horse nomads.

* Rivals of the Scythians in the plains of Eurasia, the Sauromatae/Sarmatian people also had quite a reputation as horsemen, enough that the Romans employed boatloads of them for their cavalry, promising Roman citizenship in return for their services.

* The Lakota, Dakota, Cheyenne, Absaroka, Kiowa, and many other [[UsefulNotes/NativeAmericans First Nations]] of the Great Plains of North America. Compared to the Eurasian horse nomads, they spent much of history not having any horses until the 1600s when the Apache became the first to learn how to ride Iberian mustangs stolen from the Spaniards. Herds of horses dispersed and multiplied throughout the plains, spreading to other tribes who became great hunters and cavalrymen in their own right.

* The Hungarians (a.k.a. Magyars) were one of the few European peoples to have a horse culture along with {{Horse Archer}}y, which is justified since the Magyars spent most of their history with the Turkish people and adapted a horseback lifestyle. When the Hungarians conquered Moravia, the Hungarians settled, abandoned most of their nomadic horseback culture, and adopted Christianity, but some of it is still seen today.

** Most Finns learn to drive either moped, motorcycle, or automobile before they are 12. Justified, as Finland is a country of long distances. [[LoopholeAbuse It is legal to participate in car races]] in Finland (so-called "folkrace") younger (14) than you can legally drive on the roads (18). Keep on mind that almost all cars in Finland have [[DifficultButAwesome manual transmission]]...
* Central Asians, especially Kazakhs and Kyrgyz, with archaeological, palaeological and DNA discoveries suggesting the horse was most likely first tamed and domesticated in Central Asia. They even eat a lot of horse meat, but never the ones they ride on.
* The Celts were famous for their horsemanship to the Romans and were used as horseman cavalry and mercenaries by the Romans. This is largely a ForgottenTrope on behalf of the Celts - as their Druids tended to overshadow the Cavalry in pop culture.

* The UsefulNotes/{{Cossacks}} of Ukraine and Southern Russia could allegedly ride a horse at the age of 3.
** Historically, Georgians as well, particularly those from the mountains, to the point where they supposedly had the best cavalry in Eastern Europe. It still survives in many areas, though war, migration to cities, and economic hardship has made horsemanship less universal.

* The Lakota, Dakota, Cheyenne, Absaroka, Kiowa, and many other First Nations of the Great Plains of North America. Compared to the Eurasian horse nomads, they spent much of history not having any horses until the 1600s when the Apache became the first to learn how to ride Iberian mustangs stolen from the Spaniards. Herds of horses dispersed and multiplied throughout the plains, spreading to other tribes who became great hunters and cavalrymen in their own right.

* Though not much of a national or ethnic entity, {{cowboy}}s often view themselves this way.

* ''WebOriginal/CodexInversus'': The elves of the Ash Khanate lead a perpetually nomadic existence, crossing their ashen plains with their herds of horses, sheep and yaks along preset routes that they have observed for a millennium. Their endless migrations are designed to act as an immense, perpetual ritual, drawing in and preserving ghosts that would otherwise fade into nothingness in a world without an afterlife.

** While the Númenorëans' culture wasn't anywhere near as horse-reliant as the Rohirrim's, ''Literature/TheSilmarillion'' notes that they were the greatest horsemen of the Second Age, to the point where they could even call on horses telepathically.

** ''ForgottenRealms'': The Tuigan, being the setting's version of the Mongol hordes, have whole armies of horsemen warriors.

* ''Literature/HeraldsOfValdemar'': The Shin'a'in, and the Heralds themselves after rigorous training (though their mounts are intelligent spirits in horse-''like'' physical bodies). When Talia is brought to the Heralds' Collegium, her equestrian instructor Keren informs the girl that "by the time I'm done with you, anything you can do afoot, you'll be able to do from the back of your Companion." Later in the trilogy, that same instructor manages to slingshot into a dive from the back of her Companion ''in full gallop''. Said one of the other Heralds, "I didn't know you could ''do'' that!"

[[StockParodyJokes Expect a lot of jokes]] about ''[[BestialityIsDepraved just how much]]'' they love their horses.

Often a FantasyCounterpartCulture to Turks, the Mongols and/or the Huns, and as such have a distinct tendency to function as HordesFromTheEast, {{Barbarian Tribe}}s, and/or {{Noble Savage}}s. However, as the Rohirrim in ''Literature/TheLordOfTheRings'' demonstrate, they can just as well be a more [[KnightInShiningArmor chivalric]] and "civilized" culture. Don't be surprised -- "chivalry" derives from the French word "''chevalier,''" a horseback rider or knight. Whether or not they're the bad guys, they're sure to be a ProudWarriorRace (you can't get much [[ProudScholarRace studying]] done at a canter, after all).

* In ''TabletopGame/{{Exalted}}'', the Marukan Alliance consists of this, with a bit of cowboy thrown in for good measure. They worship a horse god (who sires some of their steeds), their national militia doubles up as a postal service, and they often serve as elite cavalry for the nearby city-state of Lookshy.

* In ''Roleplay/TheGamersAlliance'', the Khitans from the Khitan Khanate in Maar Sul are expert riders who are skilled in the use of both the bow and the sword. They bond with their horses at an early age and see them as their brothers and sisters.

* ''Literature/ASongOfIceAndFire'':
** The Dothraki live and breathe horses and don't let you forget about it. They worship horse-gods, and talk about practically everything in terms of equine metaphors. And changing the word from Khan to Khal isn't fooling anyone, either. They even refer to what we call "doggy-style" as "horse-fashion", and most will have sex in no other way. Their ChosenOne is called "The Stallion Who Mounts The World".

* ''Literature/TheToughGuideToFantasyland'': The Anglo-Saxon Cossack barbarians are horse breeders who live on the steppes. Expert riders, they show off with riding tricks and make great cavalry on the Good side. Despite this, they will never have bandy legs. Strangely enough, in spite of their nomadic life they are found living in stone fastnesses and only use tents rarely.

Often a FantasyCounterpartCulture to Turks, the Mongols and/or the Huns, and as such have a distinct tendency to function as HordesFromTheEast, {{Barbarian Tribe}}s, and/or {{Noble Savage}}s. However, as the Rohirrim in ''Literature/TheLordOfTheRings'' demonstrate, they can just as well be a more [[KnightInShiningArmor chivalric]] and "civilized" culture. Don't be surprised -- "chivalry" derives from the French word "''chevalier,''" a horseback rider or knight. Whether or not they're the bad guys, they're sure to be a {{Proud Warrior Race|Guy}} (you can't get much [[ProudScholarRaceGuy studying]] done at a canter, after all).

* Medieval [[KnightInShiningArmor knights]]. Their name in most languages (caballero, chevalier, cavalheiro, Ritter, riddare etc) refers to "rider" or "horseman". They learned and practiced horseback skills in their early childhood, and a medieval proverb was "a boy who hasn't mastered a horse by the age of 12 is fit only to be a priest". Most medieval noblewomen were just as proficient with horses as their brothers, and rode astride--the side saddle is actually [[NewerThanTheythink a Renaissance innovation]].

* Medieval [[KnightInShiningArmor knights]]. Their name in most languages (caballero, chevalier, cavalheiro, Ritter, riddare etc) refers to "rider" or "horseman". They learned and practiced horseback skills in their early childhood, and a medieval proverb was "a boy who hasn't mastered a horse by the age of 12 is fit only to be a priest". Most medieval noblewomen were just as proficient with horses as their brothers - the side saddle is actually [[NewerThanTheythink a Renaissance innovation]].

* The Scythian people, whose reputation saw huge numbers of them serving as cavalrymen to many Greek and Persian kingdoms during the classical era. It is theorized that the Scythians were one of the first, if not THE first people groups to actually ride on horseback with regularity, with previous nomadic peoples utilizing chariots. This theory has in turn been used as an explanation for why the Scythians were considered so dangerous by the settled peoples of the Near East and Europe, as their completely mobile form of warfare was a huge challenge for the infantry- and chariot-based armies of the settled societies to overcome.

* The Scythian people, whose reputation saw huge numbers of them serving as cavalrymen to many Greek and Persian kingdoms during the classical era.

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* ''Literature/HouseOfKendreth'', by Joy Chant, has the Khentorei. They call their mounts horses, but they're what we would call unicorns. Huge, massive, shaggy ones.

* ''Literature/ASongOfIceAndFire'': The Dothraki live and breathe horses and don't let you forget about it. They worship horse-gods, and talk about practically everything in terms of equine metaphors. And changing the word from Khan to Khal isn't fooling anyone, either. They even refer to what we call "doggy-style" as "horse-fashion", and most will have sex in no other way. Their ChosenOne is called "The Stallion Who Mounts The World."

* ''Literature/ASongOfIceAndFire'': The Dothraki live and breathe horses and don't let you forget about it. They worship horse-gods, and talk about practically everything in terms of equine metaphors. And changing the word from Khan to Khal isn't fooling anyone, either. They even refer to what we call "doggy-style" as "horse-fashion", and most will have sex in no other way.

* ''Literature/TheToughGuideToFantasyland'': The Anglo-Saxon UsefulNotes/{{Cossacks}}. Despite this, they will never have bandy legs.

* ''Literature/{{Gor}}'': The Wagon Peoples, natives of the Tahari region, and Red Savages are all described like this at some point.

* ''House Of Kendreth'', by Joy Chant, has the Khentorei. They call their mounts horses, but they're what we would call unicorns. Huge, massive, shaggy ones.

* ''Literature/TheToughGuideToFantasyLand'': The Anglo-Saxon UsefulNotes/{{Cossacks}}. Despite this, they will never have bandy legs.

* In ''Literature/TheWheelOfTime'', this is the Saldaeans' [[PlanetOfHats hat]]. At one point a legion of them parade across a plain doing tricks -- riding two horses at once with one foot on either saddle, slapping the ground in passing while dangling precariously from the saddle, or climbing ''underneath'' the horse and up the other side, all while at a full gallop.

* ''Literature/TheToughGuideToFantasyLand'': The Anglo-Saxon UsefulNotes/{{Cossacks}}. Since the Fantasyland horse is [[AutomatonHorse actually a vegetable]], the Anglo-Saxon Cossacks are the only people who know the secret of its cultivation.

Expect a lot of jokes about ''[[BestialityIsDepraved just how much]]'' they love their horses.

Sometimes the steed of choice will be a HorseOfADifferentColor, but actual ''Equus f. caballus'' seem to be favoured for some reason. Compare BornUnderTheSail for cultures strongly associated with seafaring instead of horse-riding.