Animals Drawn In Chalk In The Hills Have Been Maintained For Thousands Of Years

Author image for Mariel Ruvinsky
Mariel Ruvinsky • Writer and Editor
Dec 31, 2021 12:00 PM EST

There are few things out there that bring people together the way that animals do. We humans will do practically anything to help animals survive. Humans will rescue leopards and raise them alongside their dogs. Humans will take in brain damaged bobcats, protect them, and give them fennel because that's their favorite toy. Humans will help Tasmanian devils return to Australia for the first time in 3000 years. Humans want to help animals persevere. 

But it's not just real living animals that people want to protect. In some of the hills of England, thousands of years ago, humans have gotten together to commemorate the majestic animal that is the horse. They did so by drawing them into the earth with chalk. But, for these chalk horses and other animals to survive, the chalk has to be refilled consistently, and to this day, we adorable humans gather together to do just that. 

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  • 01
    Vertebrate - janemorris Follow im having feelings about the uffington white horse again janemorris Follow so essentially there's this cool horse drawn into the hills in england made out of chalk and it's like 3,000 years old. people carved trenches 3,000 years ago and filled them with chalk in the shape of a horse but what's interesting is that if you fail to maintain the horse by adding new chalk regularly, it will disappear. for 3,000 years, we've been filling in chalk in this horse so it does
    via janemorris

    We cannot even explain to you guys how happy we are to see that people are still doing this. With so much division in the world, so many things that people don't agree on, it's nice to know that animals will always bring us together, that there are places like this in the world that are full of wholesomeness and positivity. 

  • 02
    Horse - Arlene Osborne There's a BIG one in Thirsk (Yorkshire) too. Wow Reply · Hide Send Message 2d
    via Arlene Osborne

    Amazingly, we had no idea that any of these places existed, but now that we do, they are definitely going on our list of places to visit the next time we find ourselves in England. We wish more people knew about them, because we honestly think that these are great places for people to meet and enjoy one another's company. 

  • 03
    Rectangle - Dyan Campbell I was able to take a vacation in the UK, and this was on my list of 'most sees'. Like · Reply · Hide Send Message 2d
    via Dyan Campbell
  • 04
    Rectangle - Jim Regler grew up under the white horse at Westbury, it's been concreted now to help maintain its shape as it's huge, there are white horses all the way along the hills in Wiltshire, some small, some large but all beautiful in there own way 39 Like · Reply · Hide Send Message 2d
    via Jim Regler
  • 05
    Smile - Top fan Victoria Slocum I've been there. It's impressive. Like Reply · Hide Send Message 2d
    via Victoria Slocum
  • 06
    Rectangle - Carmen Linda Conklin There are 16 known white horse hill figures in the UK, or 17 including the painted one at Cleadon Hills. 8 Like Reply · Hide Send Message 2d
    via Carmen Linda Conklin
  • 07

    And here they are: Westbury White Horse, Wiltshire

    Sky
    via Wanderlust
  • 08

    Long Man of Wilmington, East Sussex

    Sky
    via Wanderlust
  • 09

    Osmington White Horse, Dorset

    Horse
    via Wanderlust
  • 10

    Uffington White Horse, Oxfordshire

    Plant
    via Wanderlust
  • 11

    Bulford Kiwi, Wiltshire

    Plant
    via Wanderlust
  • 12

    Kilburn White Horse, Yorkshire

    Plant
    via Wanderlust
  • 13

    Cerne Giant, Dorset

    Organism
    via Wanderlust
  • 14
    Rectangle - Dawn Fehnel The main question to me is How did the. People know what it looked like from above ? But then again maybe I don't really want to know Never mind, disregard the question e 7 Like · Reply · Hide Send Message 2d
    via Dawn Fehnel
  • 15
    Rectangle - Kim Huff-Caplan For all those saying it's a cat - cats didn't exist in England 3000 years ago. They were brought over about 1500 years ago. O 11 Like Reply Hide Send Message 2d
    via Kim Huff-Caplan
  • 16
    Human body - Adi Wright We live there, our region is literally named "Vale of white horse", we are very proud for. Reasons. 20 Like · Reply · Hide Send Message · 2d
    via Adi Wright
  • 17
    Rectangle - Ricky Langley Just goes to show that horses are more upkeep than any other animal. Lol 112 Like · Reply · Hide Send Message 2d
    via Ricky Langley

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nature cool drawing comments tumblr england facebook amazing horse chalk
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