Remains of the oldest known
Caspian horse, otherwise referred to as the "Kings' horse" due to its popularity among royals the world over, have been unearthed in northern Iran, according to
CAIS.
The more than 3,000-year-old remains were found at an Iranian site named
Gohar-Tappeh. In ancient times, royals often chose Caspian horses to ride them into battle and/or to pull their chariots
During more recent history, individuals such as Price Philip of England have popularized the Caspian, which is the oldest breed of horse in the world still in existence.
The
Shah of Iran gifted such a horse to Prince Philip in 1972. Hoping to strengthen the breed's numbers, Prince Philip had numerous additional Caspian horses exported to the U.K. This led to the formation of
The Caspian Horse Society of the United Kingdom in 1975.
The illustrious history of this beautiful horse may go back much further than even 3000 years ago, as Gohar-Tappeh's age keeps being upped. Some of the oldest finds there now date to 12,000 B.C., according to CAIS. But archaeologists believe the recently discovered horse lived at about the time of the
late Bronze Age. 
“Due to the form, figure and size of the discovered remains of the horse, we now have the oldest evidence for Caspian horse ancestry at hand," Ali Mahforuzi, the director of the archaeological team in Gohar Tappeh, told CAIS.
“We have to continue our research until we reach the virgin soil in order to establish the oldest human occupation of the site," he added. “It seems the excavation is gradually moving past the cemetery (where the horse remains were found), and into an industrial level since we found a clay-kiln in 2006. We are hoping that we will have more information about the industrial section of the site too by next year."
t's also no wonder the royals love Caspian horses. They are smaller than modern horses, about 2/3 the size, but are known, as the famous late horse breeder
Louise Firouz once said, as being "kind, intelligent and willing." CAIS additionally describes Caspian horses as having "light frames, thin bones, short, fine head with a pronounced forehead, large eyes, short ears and small muzzles. They are very fast, and incredibly strong and spirited, but also have good temperaments."