DBWI: Domestic Horses didn't go extinct?

Around 1900, due to the explosion of automobile technology, demand for domestic horses began to gradually decline, and by 2000 there where no domestic horses anywhere on the planet, with wild and feral horses now making up the entire species. Is there anyway to save the domestic horse without butterflying away automobile technology as we know it?

OOC: This is biased on "future predictions" from 1900, most of which predicted that for these exact reasons, domestic horses would be either extinct, or as in OTL, a curiosity used mainly for entertainment by the 21st century.
 
Around 1900, due to the explosion of automobile technology, demand for domestic horses began to gradually decline, and by 2000 there where no domestic horses anywhere on the planet, with wild and feral horses now making up the entire species. Is there anyway to save the domestic horse without butterflying away automobile technology as we know it?

OOC: This is biased on "future predictions" from 1900, most of which predicted that for these exact reasons, domestic horses would be either extinct, or as in OTL, a curiosity used mainly for entertainment by the 21st century.

Well to be fair, you can still domesticate feral horses, it just takes a long time. There's likely a few "domesticated" feral horses somewhere in the world...but I certainly have never seen one.

It does raise an interesting question. Perhaps wars would be fought differently if cars weren't so widespread?
 
Not likely, considering that automobiles are much faster and much more exciting to watch. It is somewhat surprising, however, that a few horses weren't kept around and bred for ceremonial purposes, like hauling the Kaiser or Czar around in a carriage and so forth.

Regarding the possible "re-domestication" of feral horses or wild ones like zebras and unicorns, I don't see it. People in the modern world may sometimes capture and turn small wild beasties like raccoons or monkeys into domestic pets, but a huge and aggressive animal like a horse? I guess horses in zoos could be familiar enough with people to not stomp a would be trainer to death, but when you consider that unfortunate Canadian Bieber boy who was just trampled to death at the Toronto Zoo, I doubt it. Horses aren't cows, after all.
 

DTanza

Banned
Not likely, considering that automobiles are much faster and much more exciting to watch. It is somewhat surprising, however, that a few horses weren't kept around and bred for ceremonial purposes, like hauling the Kaiser or Czar around in a carriage and so forth.

You can only cover a horse with so many ceremonial hood ornaments before it collapses. :p
 
OOC: this isn't really possible, too many places can't afford cars, but can horses, and even in the areas that can afford cars, horses will remain on the margins, as pets, status symbols, racing animals (the Ascot Racecourse has been in use for more than 3 centuries) etc. You'd basically have to see horses somehow almost wiped out to make this thing work.
 
Not likely, considering that automobiles are much faster and much more exciting to watch. It is somewhat surprising, however, that a few horses weren't kept around and bred for ceremonial purposes, like hauling the Kaiser or Czar around in a carriage and so forth.

Regarding the possible "re-domestication" of feral horses or wild ones like zebras and unicorns, I don't see it. People in the modern world may sometimes capture and turn small wild beasties like raccoons or monkeys into domestic pets, but a huge and aggressive animal like a horse? I guess horses in zoos could be familiar enough with people to not stomp a would be trainer to death, but when you consider that unfortunate Canadian Bieber boy who was just trampled to death at the Toronto Zoo, I doubt it. Horses aren't cows, after all.
Unicorns aren't a real species. They're just a mutation in the Feral Horse population.
 
OOC: this isn't really possible, too many places can't afford cars, but can horses, and even in the areas that can afford cars, horses will remain on the margins, as pets, status symbols, racing animals (the Ascot Racecourse has been in use for more than 3 centuries) etc. You'd basically have to see horses somehow almost wiped out to make this thing work.
OOC: This is baised on 1900 predictions of the future.
 
You can only cover a horse with so many ceremonial hood ornaments before it collapses. :p
Indeed. Did you see all that regalia on the hood when the Empress of France was crowned last year? I'm surprised the Eagle alone didn't flip the car.
 
OOC: I leave that up to you.
OOC: Okay, having donkeys still could make this more plausible.

IC: I think that horses are overrated. They were most useful for carrying soldiers or speed, all their other uses have been replaced well enough by donkeys which need less food being smaller.
 

Incognito

Banned
Unicorns aren't a real species. They're just a mutation in the Feral Horse population.
Mutated Wild Horses? I think you meant to say selective domesticated goats ;).

RealUnicorns_5_theourworld_com.jpg
 
OOC: This is baised on 1900 predictions of the future.
OOC: It's still batshit insane, because the racing industry will not let horses go extinct. This thread is less well thought out than the one where electric cars become dominant in the US. Seriously, this belongs in ASB because it requires that much handwaving.
 
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Kongzilla

Banned
It's still batshit insane, because the racing industry will not let horses go extinct. This thread is less well thought out than the one where electric cars become dominant in the US. Seriously, this belongs in ASB because it requires that much handwaving.

you don't have to participate.
 
OOC: No, but someone's got to tell people when their threads are moving into ASB territory, which is what this one is considering the social changes that would have to take place to get horse-racing universally outlawed.
 
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OOC: Most teenage girls don't have a lot of money. Royal families do however, and are rather fond of horses themselves, you you'd really have to mangle Britain before you could even start getting rid of those horse, not to mention all the other horse-tracks, riding clubs, etc.
 
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