A centuries-old connection between horse, human, and landscape on Lake Maggiore
For centuries, horses and mules were part of everyday life in Ascona and throughout Ticino. On narrow mule tracks, they transported people and goods between Lake Maggiore and remote mountain villages. With the rise of tourism in the 19th century, they became a symbol of style and leisure – and today this special connection lives on in equestrian sports and polo.
Long before railways, automobiles and modern roads opened up the region, horses determined the rhythm of life in Ticino. Their history also tells the story of the people, the paths and the landscape around Lake Maggiore - a story that still resonates today.
Indispensable companions on the mule tracks
For many centuries, horses were a natural part of daily life in Ascona and throughout Ticino. On narrow paths, horses and mules connected the towns on Lake Maggiore with remote mountain villages and the valleys of the hinterland. Along the so-called mule tracks – known as «Mulattiere» in Ticino – they transported people, wine, wood, grain, and stone through the Maggia Valley, the Verzasca Valley, and over arduous Alpine paths. Where roads run today, the sure-footed steps of these animals were long the only reliable connection.
More than labor: agility, safety and connection
The animals were far more than mere labor. They meant mobility, security, and a connection to the outside world. Their steady gait shaped the rhythm of the paths and of rural life, day after day, season after season. Horses and mules also played an important role in the markets around Ascona and Locarno, thus contributing directly to the region's economic development. Whoever owned a good animal possessed leeway for action—and a piece of independence.
The change in the 19th century: carriages, guests, and a new leisure culture
With the rise of tourism in the 19th century, the significance of the horse fundamentally changed. Carriages brought wealthy guests to hotels and elegant seaside promenades. Rides through chestnut groves, vineyards, and sunny slopes became an expression of a new leisure culture. The horse no longer stood solely for work, but increasingly also for style, experiencing nature, and social elegance – a change that particularly beautifully reflects the southern lightness of Ticino.
From History to Polo: The Connection Lives On
Today, this special connection lives on primarily in equestrian sports and polo. The power and speed of the horses meet precision, trust, and team spirit. Against the Mediterranean backdrop of Ascona, polo becomes a bridge between history and the present – and the horse a symbol of freedom, passion, and the timeless elegance of Ticino. Anyone who follows a polo match on Lake Maggiore today sees not just sport, but the continuation of a centuries-old relationship between humans, animals, and the landscape.
Frequently Asked Questions
What role did horses play in Ticino in the past?
For centuries, horses and mules were indispensable companions in everyday life. On narrow pack-animal trails, they transported people, wine, wood, grain, and stone, connecting the towns on Lake Maggiore with the mountain villages of the hinterland.
What are mule tracks?
Mule tracks are narrow paths on which pack animals transported goods. In Ticino they are called "Mulattiere", i.e. mule paths. For a long time they were the most important connection through the valleys and over the alpine paths.
How did tourism change the significance of horses?
With the rise of tourism in the 19th century, carriages brought wealthy guests to hotels and seaside promenades. Rides became an expression of a new leisure culture, and the horse now also stood for style, experiencing nature, and elegance.
What connects the history of horses with polo in Ascona?
In Polo, the old connection between humans and horses lives on. Against the backdrop of Ascona, the power of the animals meets precision and team spirit – Polo thus becomes a bridge between the history of Ticino and its present.
What goods were transported with horses and mules?
Wine, wood, grain, and stone were primarily transported via the mule tracks through the Maggia Valley, the Verzasca Valley, and over the Alpine paths – as well as, of course, people themselves.