Core Viewpoint - The research highlights the genetic basis of horse domestication, emphasizing the role of specific genes in enhancing horse behavior and physical traits that facilitated their integration into human society, particularly in transportation and warfare [4][9]. Group 1: Historical Context - Horses have played a crucial role in human history, transforming transportation and warfare since their domestication, which dates back to around the mid-3rd millennium BC in the steppes of the Don and Volga rivers [4]. - The study published in Science reveals that genetic mutations related to behavior and physical structure were pivotal in the domestication of horses, enabling them to assist humans in rapid movement [4][9]. Group 2: Genetic Findings - The research team identified selection signals in 266 genetic markers associated with key traits, particularly focusing on the ZFPM1 gene, which influences anxiety behavior, and the GSDMC gene, linked to physical structure [8][9]. - The ZFPM1 gene showed positive selection signals approximately 5,000 years ago, indicating that temperament and trainability were among the earliest steps in horse domestication [8]. - The GSDMC gene underwent strong selection starting around 4,750 years ago, leading to physical adaptations that made horses suitable for riding, thus playing a decisive role in the rise of mounted civilizations [8][9].