The Tchankats were French shepherds whose flocks would wander through the foggy marshes of Landes. They needed a way to prevent trench foot, avoid venomous snakes, and be able to keep an eye on their charges. They invented stilts.
And as if that isn’t cool enough, they would actually knit while on their stilts too. And have races.
L – The last of the Tchankats, Sylvain Dornon, knitting on his stilts. R – A stilt race at Arcachon-going to the starting post. (1893)