So fascinating! I wonder if the trained hunting cheetahs were a bit smaller than our current wild cheetahs — thinking about the logistics of training a horse to tolerate having one riding on its back! The horses transporting the cheetahs during the hunt must have been incredibly well trained as well in order to go against their instincts to flee from predators like cheetahs. I’ve known horses who don’t mind having small barn cats on their backs, but I think a cheetah might be a different story! Loved learning about this — thank you!
This is so interesting - thank you. I was wondering the same thing about cheetah size - the paintings do make it look as though they were smaller? And I know less than nothing about riding, so it's fascinating, and extremely useful, to hear about barn cats!
There's wonderful footage of an old-time circus, with 2 circus ponies/horses riding round the ring, each with a full grown lion on their back.
Those were the days.
Note: you never saw wolves in circuses. Lions, tigers, yes, but wolves were perhaps too wild. (Too wild for easy taming. Dogs came from the dingo's wild S.E.Asian ancestor.)
Reminds me of “meeting” a cheetah once at an industry convention where a celebrity from the San Diego Zoo had a meet-and-greet for attendees. Approach the cheetah slowly and let him see your hand before you quietly stroke him….he sat upright with his head about level with my chest and purred like a Mazda on idle. Needless to say, I really enjoyed your post and remembered a mention of the cheetah from The Eagle and the Hart.
Oh wow… I’d have loved that, in a terrified sort of a way! (And I loved Henry’s cheetah not least because there’s a cheetah hunt in Queens’ Play by Dorothy Dunnett, set in 16th-C France, one of my favourite historical novels…)
I loved King Hereafter by her but didn’t immediately like the first novel in the series with Queen’s Play and didn’t stick with it. Maybe I need to give it another try
That was so interesting! In some of the novels that I have read, they say Henry brought the cheetah for his children(!), and that the cheetah was finally sent to the menagerie in the Tower of London, where a lot of exotic animals were kept.
It also occurred to me that the Royal Coat of Arms of England had 3 lions, which, however, were referred to, as leopards. Why would they call them leopards?
About those black "tear tracks" distinguishing the cheetah...
It reminds me of the similarity black moustaches under the eye of peregrines, and to a lesser extent of other falcons, but fainter, the less they rely on a high-speed stoop.
I wonder if they really ARE for tears, as both cheetahs and peregrines are so fast they risk drying the eye surface, partly through high evaporation through wind, and partly through the thin layer of water being simply blown away.
Maybe the eye needs plenty of tears at high speed, and for so.e reason, the run-off tracts are black...?
Couple of factoids: the peregrine isn't the fastest bird in a straight line - that's the spine-tailed swift.
I used to work and volunteer at the National Zoo in DC. The black “tear” marks are more like the black marks some athletes put under their eyes a la American football. It helps with reducing glare from the sun and advantage for the cheetah when hunting
Diane, thank you so much - this is wonderful to know. I don't think I ever knew why American footballers did this either, so I'm learning on all fronts!
In the first picture of the lad on his horse, he's wearing the same type of smug supercilious look I'd have if I was riding a horse with a tame cheetah sat behind me!😆
I live outside Nicosia and I know there is virtually no game animals left here larger than rabbits. I suspect cheetah hunting might have helped denude the landscape of larger creatures. I’m sad to read that Henry’s cheetah passed from history. I would have liked to read about its time in Peterborough. Thanks for this entry, Helen.
That’s fascinating, about Cyprus - thank you! I’m sad too that we don’t know more. And I would have loved to see Mary’s face when Henry’s baggage train rumbled up the drive…
I also meant to say that King James having a stable of 24 cheetahs in the late 14th C seems an awful lot, which might well support your suspicion of a major impact on local wildlife...
I found this story about Henry Bolingbroke bringing back a cheetah from his travels fascinating. I didn’t know that it was to be used for hunting. I had assumed it was for novelty and status.
So pleased you liked it - and I had too. It’s always been described as a leopard, and the ‘mat’ just as something for it to sit on, so I loved piecing together a different picture…
So fascinating! I wonder if the trained hunting cheetahs were a bit smaller than our current wild cheetahs — thinking about the logistics of training a horse to tolerate having one riding on its back! The horses transporting the cheetahs during the hunt must have been incredibly well trained as well in order to go against their instincts to flee from predators like cheetahs. I’ve known horses who don’t mind having small barn cats on their backs, but I think a cheetah might be a different story! Loved learning about this — thank you!
This is so interesting - thank you. I was wondering the same thing about cheetah size - the paintings do make it look as though they were smaller? And I know less than nothing about riding, so it's fascinating, and extremely useful, to hear about barn cats!
Well, I'm sure if you can kayak across a busy harbour, becoming familiar with horses and riding them woold be a walk in the park!😆
There's wonderful footage of an old-time circus, with 2 circus ponies/horses riding round the ring, each with a full grown lion on their back.
Those were the days.
Note: you never saw wolves in circuses. Lions, tigers, yes, but wolves were perhaps too wild. (Too wild for easy taming. Dogs came from the dingo's wild S.E.Asian ancestor.)
OK that's enough off-topic from me!🤭
Reminds me of “meeting” a cheetah once at an industry convention where a celebrity from the San Diego Zoo had a meet-and-greet for attendees. Approach the cheetah slowly and let him see your hand before you quietly stroke him….he sat upright with his head about level with my chest and purred like a Mazda on idle. Needless to say, I really enjoyed your post and remembered a mention of the cheetah from The Eagle and the Hart.
Oh wow… I’d have loved that, in a terrified sort of a way! (And I loved Henry’s cheetah not least because there’s a cheetah hunt in Queens’ Play by Dorothy Dunnett, set in 16th-C France, one of my favourite historical novels…)
I loved King Hereafter by her but didn’t immediately like the first novel in the series with Queen’s Play and didn’t stick with it. Maybe I need to give it another try
That was so interesting! In some of the novels that I have read, they say Henry brought the cheetah for his children(!), and that the cheetah was finally sent to the menagerie in the Tower of London, where a lot of exotic animals were kept.
It also occurred to me that the Royal Coat of Arms of England had 3 lions, which, however, were referred to, as leopards. Why would they call them leopards?
About those black "tear tracks" distinguishing the cheetah...
It reminds me of the similarity black moustaches under the eye of peregrines, and to a lesser extent of other falcons, but fainter, the less they rely on a high-speed stoop.
I wonder if they really ARE for tears, as both cheetahs and peregrines are so fast they risk drying the eye surface, partly through high evaporation through wind, and partly through the thin layer of water being simply blown away.
Maybe the eye needs plenty of tears at high speed, and for so.e reason, the run-off tracts are black...?
Couple of factoids: the peregrine isn't the fastest bird in a straight line - that's the spine-tailed swift.
And the free-tailed bat is faster than that!
Fascinating! Will see what else I can find out about the 'tear tracks'...
I used to work and volunteer at the National Zoo in DC. The black “tear” marks are more like the black marks some athletes put under their eyes a la American football. It helps with reducing glare from the sun and advantage for the cheetah when hunting
Interesting! But I wonder why they thought that? Cheetah's tracks are long and thin, and donseem suitable for that.
Diane, thank you so much - this is wonderful to know. I don't think I ever knew why American footballers did this either, so I'm learning on all fronts!
Great detective work on the type of cat!
In the first picture of the lad on his horse, he's wearing the same type of smug supercilious look I'd have if I was riding a horse with a tame cheetah sat behind me!😆
‘come and have a go if you think you’re hard enough’ !!
“Blame the game not the Cheetah” 😆
I live outside Nicosia and I know there is virtually no game animals left here larger than rabbits. I suspect cheetah hunting might have helped denude the landscape of larger creatures. I’m sad to read that Henry’s cheetah passed from history. I would have liked to read about its time in Peterborough. Thanks for this entry, Helen.
That’s fascinating, about Cyprus - thank you! I’m sad too that we don’t know more. And I would have loved to see Mary’s face when Henry’s baggage train rumbled up the drive…
I also meant to say that King James having a stable of 24 cheetahs in the late 14th C seems an awful lot, which might well support your suspicion of a major impact on local wildlife...
I found this story about Henry Bolingbroke bringing back a cheetah from his travels fascinating. I didn’t know that it was to be used for hunting. I had assumed it was for novelty and status.
So pleased you liked it - and I had too. It’s always been described as a leopard, and the ‘mat’ just as something for it to sit on, so I loved piecing together a different picture…