Visiting the Taishu Horse at the Tsushima Mehoro Dam Equestrian Park! I want to share the amazing nature of Japanese native horses!

Do you know about the Taishu horse? I want to share the amazing nature of Japanese native horses!

In my previous article "Can you see Busan, South Korea from Tsushima!? I went to check it out for myself—Reflections on international exchange before the arrival of immigrants and Buddhism" I traveled from Hakata to Tsushima by high-speed ferry and introduced the Kaneda Castle ruins and an observatory where you can look out toward South Korea.

In this article, I will introduce my experience at the Mehoro Dam Equestrian Park, which I visited on the second day of my stay in Tsushima.

Are you familiar with the existence of Japanese native horses?

There are currently said to be eight breeds of native horses in Japan, and one of them is the Taishu horse here in Tsushima.

I only learned about the Taishu horse of Tsushima very recently, but seeing is believing. Let's start by taking a look at this horse.

The Taishu horse is rare in Japan.
However, it is not just because they are rare that I became interested in this horse.

As I mentioned in my previous article, I came to Tsushima to research international exchange before the arrival of immigrants and Buddhism.

That's right.

It is precisely because this Taishu horse is a product of international exchange with ancient Korea that I became so interested in it.

It is said that horses arrived in Japan around the end of the 4th century. Horses and the technology to care for them were brought over by immigrants from Korea, and horse breeding began to advance rapidly in Japan as well.

And the gateway for that international exchange was right here in Tsushima. The horse that has remained with the people on Tsushima is this Taishu horse. That is why I became so interested in this horse.

And one more point. This was also a very important point for me: the fact that the Taishu horse is significantly smaller than horses introduced after the Meiji era, such as Thoroughbreds.

While the Thoroughbreds we see in horse racing or historical dramas have a height of about 160 to 170 centimeters, the Taishu horse is quite small, at 135 centimeters or less.

However, this is not limited to the Taishu horse; it is said that almost all Japanese native horses were this size.

In other words, the large horses we see in historical dramas did not actually exist on the battlefield; in reality, there were only horses slightly larger than ponies.

This was also true during the Genpei War. It is said that the famous horses ridden by Minamoto no Yoritomo and Yoshitsune may have been these Taishu horses.

Because only such small horses existed in Japan, a theory was once proposed in the historical community that "it is impossible for a samurai in armor to fight on horseback," but it has been proven that native horses are actually strong enough to carry loads of over 130 kilograms and have considerable running speed. The video below is not of a Taishu horse, but it is a native horse of almost the same size. In particular, from five minutes into this video, they actually measure the top speed, and it is quite shocking. Please take a look. You will understand the amazing nature of native horses at a glance.

What do you think? Even though they are short in height, it would be incredibly terrifying to have one charge at you at this speed.

Moreover, to begin with, these native horses are said to be almost the same size as those Mongolian horses.

That's right. Those were the horses of the world's strongest Mongol army. The Mongol army was skilled in cavalry tactics, and they have a track record of expanding their hegemony as far as Western Europe using their outstanding mobility as a weapon. In other words, it didn't matter at all that their height was low. Furthermore, having a lower height has the advantage of being able to adapt to various terrains and requiring less feed. Bigger isn't always better. In a battlefield where one must respond to complex situations, such horses were likely necessary after all.

Now, the introduction has become long, but my main research subject is Shinran Shonin, who lived from the end of the Heian period to the Kamakura period. Shinran Shonin, who became the founder of Jodo Shinshu, was a Buddhist who lived through the Genpei War and its aftermath. Being able to come into contact with a creature close to the horses of that era! For me, there is nothing more fascinating than this. That is why I traveled all the way to meet the Taishu horses.

Horseback riding experience at Tsushima Mehoro Dam Horse Park

Now, on the morning of my second day in Tsushima, I arrived at the Mehoro Dam Horse Park in northern Tsushima.

Here, under the guidance of a trainer, you can have a simple horseback riding experience. For details, please check the official website of the Taishu Horse Preservation Society. I also accessed this page and made a reservation for horseback riding by phone.

When I parked my car in the parking lot on the premises, I was able to meet the Taishu horses right away. They were relaxing leisurely. So cute.

This is the stable and office. I checked in here, and the horseback riding experience finally began.

Being able to hear the neighing of the horses is also very good.

Now, this is the Taishu horse that will be taking care of me this time.

It is certainly a cute size compared to a Thoroughbred. I felt its legs were surprisingly thin as well. The hat? on its head is also cute.

According to the trainer, Taishu horses have a friendly personality because they have lived with humans for a long time.

I immediately had the chance to ride this one.

Since the height is not that high, it is easy to get on.

But once you actually ride, it is still a horse. My line of sight becomes much higher than usual, and I can enjoy the world from the perspective unique to horseback riding. This is what's great about it. I can't stop.

Then, I received a simple lecture on how to ride from the trainer at the equestrian course a little away from the stable.

The trainer is a veteran who has worked in Obihiro and Tokyo, and is said to be here now to promote these Taishu horses.

The riding style is the British style. Originally, it seems that each Japanese native horse had its own school of ancient horsemanship, but that would make the riding style vary depending on the school, making training and experience riding difficult. Therefore, they said they have adopted the British style, which is the standard in modern times.

Hearing this story, I was struck by a realization.

I see, that is precisely why the samurai were able to be samurai.

In the first place, riding a horse is a collection of specialized skills. Even just saying 'riding,' if you cannot freely move straight, stop, turn, or jump, it is completely useless on the battlefield.

Horses also cannot carry people unless they are trained. It is not enough just to have many horses. Human skill is essential there. That is why people who were skilled in horsemanship gained power as samurai. And, especially in events like Yabusame, archery skills are also added. The fact that the way of the bow and horse existed as a professional skill for samurai since the Heian period seems to demonstrate exactly this. This matter is discussed in detail in the book 'Unraveling the Origins of the Samurai' by Yuichiro Momosaki, so I highly recommend reading it if you are interested.

Now, after receiving a general lecture, we moved on to the practical part and repeated moving forward and turning several times, but what left the biggest impression on me was when we were at a light trot.

The vibrations were more direct than I had expected. In other words, I felt the shaking quite a bit.

I have had many opportunities to ride Thoroughbreds in the past, and compared to that, there is a significant difference.

When I told the trainer about this, they answered as follows.

'That is correct. If you just want to enjoy horseback riding, Thoroughbreds are larger and offer more stability. That is why Thoroughbred-type horses have become the majority all over Japan now. However, this Taishu horse is a precious breed with a long history. Please try to feel what a Japanese horse is like.'

Hmm, I see. Certainly, if you only consider the comfort of the ride or the height of the back, Thoroughbreds might be better, but Taishu horses have their own merits and history. And as I mentioned above, horses are a collection of human skills and are also a culture. The importance of that must also be re-evaluated.

I went for a walk while the trainer led the horse. The weather was nice, and it felt very pleasant.

And while walking this course, I suddenly thought to myself:

'This place... it reminds me of Cuba...'

Actually, I also rode a horse in Cuba in 2019. This place looked very similar to the scenery back then.

The scenery in this video is a little different, but if you compare it with the next photo, I think you will understand what I am trying to say. The top is Tsushima, and the bottom is Cuba.

What do you think? They look somewhat similar, don't they? I felt a sense of warmth at the sudden association with the scenery of Cuba.

I like to ride horses while traveling, and I have ridden not only in Cuba but also in Georgia. I feel like riding a horse makes the trip something special, so I end up wanting to ride one. Haha, I guess I just simply like it, haha.

What can we do to protect the endangered Taishu horse?

While riding the horse, the trainer told me many stories.

Among them, what left the biggest impression on me was the current situation surrounding the Taishu horse.

As mentioned in the first video of this article, there are currently only about 40 Taishu horses left on Tsushima. It is said that there were as many as 4,000 during the Meiji era, but with the spread of cars, the number of Taishu horses plummeted, and by 2003, it had dropped to 23.

However, thanks to the efforts of the Taishu Horse Preservation Society, which operates this equestrian park, and various forms of support, the population is gradually recovering, though many problems still remain.

First and foremost is the fact that the value of the Taishu horse as a Japanese native breed is not well known, not just throughout Japan, but even among the citizens of Tsushima. The trainer was particularly lamenting this point.

According to the trainer, the Taishu horse was once such a familiar presence to the people of Tsushima that its rarity was difficult to perceive. And when horses disappeared from daily life due to the spread of cars, even the younger generation lost interest in them. It seems many people do not even know the difference between a Taishu horse and other horses.

If we are to truly cherish the Taishu horse, which is a treasure of Tsushima—no, of Japan—the understanding and cooperation of the local people living there are essential.

And furthermore, cooperation with the government is also indispensable. According to the trainer, this has also been quite difficult to achieve.

He said it was a great struggle to gain understanding when petitioning, saying, "If things continue like this, the Taishu horse will disappear! Once they are gone, they will never come back!"

Moreover, perhaps it is the fate of government administration, but they responded with the logic of numbers, saying, "We just need to increase the count." As a result, the number of Taishu horses once increased to nearly 100, but then plummeted again.

Many of them were moved off the island, crossbred with other horse breeds, or died right there. In other words, they were raised and died just like "any other horse" without leaving behind pure Taishu horse descendants. It can be called a tragedy brought about by a lack of understanding of the Taishu horse.

Ultimately, it comes down to "people." It is not about the "logic of numbers."

To raise and protect horses, it is not enough to just have a certain number of them. To protect valuable horses, we must also cherish the soil, techniques, and wisdom that have nurtured them. Protecting horses is synonymous with protecting culture itself.

The trainer also said, "If you just want to show horses to attract customers, you should do it with Thoroughbreds instead of Taishu horses. They are bigger and easier to handle. But if you have seriously decided to protect the rare Taishu horse, you must do it with determination."

I was struck by the trainer's words. As I mentioned earlier, this person is a professional who has seen horses in various places, including Obihiro and Tokyo. I was moved that he spoke with such passion. And I was deeply impressed that he explained the problems of Taishu horse protection in an easy-to-understand way, precisely because he came from the outside.

I myself am currently working as a part-time lecturer at a junior college in my hometown of Hakodate. I have been struggling with "what I can do for my hometown," but I am convinced again that what is important is "people." I am now certain that a sincere desire to protect what is precious is what matters. I have things I must do. I am fired up now.

For me, this encounter with the Taishu horse has become something much greater than the scope of my research on immigrants or Shinran.

In the next article, I will finally land in Busan, South Korea, and I was surprised to find a connection to my experience here as well.

I will talk about the details in the next article, but there was an exhibition of horse tack at a museum in Busan, and it seems to be from the exact period when it was introduced to Japan.

Everything is connected after all.

My experience in Tsushima was truly wonderful. I hope everyone will come and meet the Taishu horses when you visit Tsushima. No, you should go to Tsushima specifically to meet the Taishu horses. It is guaranteed to be a wonderful experience. I highly, highly recommend it.

Continued

〇 Below are recommended reference books for those who want to learn more about Japanese native horses and the history of horses ↓
Kodansha, Masatomo Kawamata"Horses Running Through Ancient Asia"
Yuzankaku, supervised by Kazuo Ushijima"Archaeology of Horses"
Kodansha, Kanta Takada"Wa-koku Seen from Across the Sea"
Bungeishunju, written by Akihiro Kamachi"Japanese History Moved by 'Horses'"
Chikuma Shobo, Yuichiro Momosaki "Unraveling the Origins of the Samurai: The Ancient Era of Intermingling and the Emergence of the Medieval Period"

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