1. From the horse to the automobile

1.1 The horse

For a long time, the horse was the fastest means of locomotion on earth. It was used for ploughing, carrying loads or pulling carriages to move materials or passengers. The horse has long been an important part of the army, where cavalry has always been of considerable importance. Compared with oxen, whose continuous pulling power does not exceed 300-400 W, a powerful horse can develop 500-600 W . A good horse can even have a power of 750 W, which corresponds to the horsepower unit (CV).

A horse's weight depends on its...