New DNA Study Redefines Timeline of Horse Domestication

Research reveals dual domestication events and rapid spread of modern horse lineage around 4,200 years ago.

Scientists analyzed 475 ancient and 77 modern horse genomes to trace domestication history.
First domestication by the Botai culture 5,500 years ago focused on milk and meat, not transportation.
Modern horse lineage emerged in the Pontic-Caspian Steppe, rapidly spreading across Eurasia by 2,200 BCE.
Breeding practices changed to halve generation times, boosting horse production.
Findings challenge previous theories about horse domestication and early human migrations.