How the Saddle Turned Horses Into the Engines of Civilization

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Before engines and asphalt, movement meant muscle, yours or the horse’s. But riding bareback could only take humans so far. The saddle changed that. With structure, control, and later, the stirrup transformed the horse into a game-changing force in human history. From mounted armies to long-distance trade, this one invention shaped how empires rose, how people connected, and how the world moved. Our own Reagan Habeeb shares the story.