Spanish Mustangs In The Great American West

A stunning photographic legacy of the horse’s reintroduction to North America Horses are an integral part of the American experience. They are so tied with the development of the nation and its psyche, it is impossible to imagine history without them. Yet prior to the arrival of Spanish explorers in the 1500s, horses had been absent from North America for millennia. In this beautifully illustrated volume, celebrated equine photographer John S. Hockensmith reveals how the return of horses with the conquistadors both altered American Indian cultures and later supported the development of the United States. Gracing these pages are stunning full-color photographs of modern horses that carry the distinctive traits of their Spanish, Arab, and Barb forebears. Captured visually in the rugged Rocky Mountains or the rolling grassy plains of the West, these horses are our shared living legacy. From the tender private moments between mare and foal to the aggressive determination of clashing stallions, Hockensmith throws open a breathtaking window on these horses’ lives. Given the ongoing debate about the future of North America’s wild horses, many of which trace their ancestry to Spanish steeds and the early mustangs, this work will stand as a significant marker on the mutual path traveled by horse and human.

For the people in the US West, far, far away from the old home grounds, in wild, open country where it was necessary for one to make their own, new, home ground, there was plenty of need for good horses. Good Horses, that is, because anyone that wasn't on horseback had horses pulling whatever they were riding in. They quickly found that in this wide, rough country they needed tougher horses than they already had ? horses that would not go lame, break a leg, or play out. The larger breeds weren't holding up. Small horses could whip like fury through the rocks, trees, or sagebrush where it was hard for bigger horses to go. Small horses were needed on the stagecoaches, too, because a draft team of larger horses could not stand the strain when traveling fast. And as chance would have it, there were Good Horses available right at hand that had been brought in by the Spanish explorers. These small, intelligent, quick as lightning, almost uncrushable horses had been found to be the ideal horse for the frontier and pioneering conditions of what became the Western United States. These were, then, the Cayuse, the Chevaux à (au) Pelouse, the Texas Pony, the Indian Pony, the Cowpony, the New World Spanish Barb, the Cavallo, the Spanish Pony, and the Spanish Mustang that roamed free throughout the West.

An American Library Association 2021 Best Graphic Novel for Children Turn back the clock with History Comics, First Second's new nonfiction graphic novel series! In this volume, learn how wild mustangs were first introduced to America and how they still roam free today. On the North American plains, wild mustangs have roamed for generations . . . shaping human history and struggling to survive it. For the Spanish, they were a tool of conquest. For Native Americans, they brought on a new way of life where horsemanship and horse-trading were central. And for the entire world, wild mustangs became a renowned wonder of the American West. There are still thousands of mustangs in the wild today, but they struggle to survive in an ever-changing landscape and their future is by no means guaranteed.

Travelers and traders taking the Santa Fe Trail’s routes from Missouri to New Mexico wrote vivid eyewitness accounts of the diverse and abundant wildlife encountered as they crossed arid plains, high desert, and rugged mountains. Most astonishing to these observers were the incredible numbers of animals, many they had not seen before—buffalo, antelope (pronghorn), prairie dogs, roadrunners, mustangs, grizzlies, and others. They also wrote about the domesticated animals they brought with them, including oxen, mules, horses, and dogs. Their letters, diaries, and memoirs open a window onto an animal world on the plains seen by few people other than the Plains Indians who had lived there for thousands of years. Phyllis S. Morgan has gleaned accounts from numerous primary sources and assembled them into a delightfully informative narrative. She has also explored the lives of the various species, and in this book tells about their behaviors and characteristics, the social relations within and between species, their relationships with humans, and their contributions to the environment and humankind. With skillful prose and a keen eye for a priceless tale, Morgan reanimates the story of life on the Santa Fe Trail’s well-worn routes, and its sometimes violent intersection with human life. She provides a stirring view of the land and of the animals visible “as far as the eye could reach,” as more than one memoirist described. She also champions the many contributions animals made to the Trail’s success and to the opening of the American West.

This book retells American southern history from feral animals' perspective, examining social, cultural, and evolutionary consequences of domestication and feralization.

When the Spanish explorers brought horses to North America, the horses were, in a sense, returning home. Beginning with their origins fifty million years ago, the wild horse has been traced from North America through Asia to the plains of SpainÕs Andalusia and then back across the Atlantic to the ranges of the American West. When given the chance, these horses simply took up residence in the landscape that their ancestors had roamed so long ago. In Wild Horses of the West, J. Edward de Steiguer provides an entertaining and well-researched look at one of the most controversial animal welfare issues of our timeÑthe protection of free-roaming horses on the WestÕs public lands. This is the first book in decades to include the entire story of these magnificent animals, from their evolution and biology to their historical integration into conquistador, Native American, and cowboy cultures. And the story isnÕt over. De Steiguer goes on to address the modern issuesÑ ecology, conservation, and land managementÑsurrounding wild horses in the West today. Featuring stunning color photographs of wild horses, this extremely thorough and engaging blend of history, science, and politics will appeal to students of the American West, conservation activists, and anyone interested in the beauty and power of these striking animals.

“A fascinating narrative with all the grace and power embodied in the wild horses that once populated the Western range . . . [A] magnificently told saga.” —Albuquerque Journal A Los Angeles Times Best Nonfiction Book of the Year Mustang is the sweeping story of the wild horse in the culture, history, and popular imagination of the American West. It follows the wild horse across time, from its evolutionary origins on this continent to its return with the conquistadors, its bloody battles on the old frontier, its iconic status in Buffalo Bill shows and early westerns, and its plight today as it makes its last stand on the vanishing range. With the Bureau of Land Management proposing to euthanize thousands of horses and ever-encroaching development threatening the land, the mustang’s position has never been more perilous. But as Stillman reveals, the horses are still running wild despite all the obstacles, with spirit unbroken. Hailed by critics nationwide, Mustang is “brisk, smart, thorough, and surprising” (Atlantic Monthly). “Like the best nonfiction writers of our time (Jon Krakauer and Bruce Chatwin come to mind), Stillman’s prose is inviting, her voice authoritative and her vision imaginative and impressively broad.” —Los Angeles Times “Powerful . . . Stillman’s talent as a writer makes this impossible [to stop reading], to the mustang’s benefit.” —Orion “A circumspect writer passionate about her purpose can produce a significant gift for readers. Stillman’s wonderful chronicle of America’s mustangs is an excellent example.” —The Seattle Times