The economy of the Song Dynasty was relatively prosperous, but its military strength was very weak. One of the big reasons is that the war horses of the Song Dynasty were very scarce, and the war horses were very important strategic materials and means of transportation for the ancient world, and they played a great role in the war. So why didn't the Song Dynasty raise horses?
First of all, the land resources of the Song Dynasty were limited, and there was no suitable area for raising horses. During the Song Dynasty, land resources became increasingly tight due to the continuous growth of the population. Raising war horses requires a large area of pasture for horses to grow and reproduce, and the Song Dynasty could not find a suitable large pasture to raise war horses.
Secondly, the geography of the Song Dynasty was not suitable for raising horses. The Song Dynasty has always suffered oppression from the surrounding ethnic minorities, and the military situation is very bad. The Central Plains, where the Song is located, is not suitable for breeding horses, and if you want to raise adult stallions with good physical strength, you need a relatively cold climate. The area where the Song Dynasty was located not only had an unsuitable environment, but also the official management of pastures was not very strict, resulting in horses not being in good condition and even prone to illness.
Secondly, the military situation of the Song Dynasty was not good. The Southern Song Dynasty has always suffered oppression from the surrounding ethnic minorities, and the military situation is very bad. At that time, everything was military-oriented, and naturally I didn't pay so much attention to horse breeding. And the Song Dynasty did not have friendly relations with its neighbors, and for a long time it was unable to obtain stable horses**.
Finally, the cost of raising horses is too high. Due to the limited number of local horses in the Southern Song Dynasty, horses are mainly from other places, and horses need to be transported over long distances, which will greatly disturb the people during the long-term transportation, and will greatly stimulate social contradictions.
To sum up, there are many reasons why the Song Dynasty did not raise horses, on the one hand, there is no suitable place for raising horses, and on the other hand, due to the restrictions of the military situation, the cost of raising horses is higher.