Wild Horses

Wild Horses

Introduction Long ago, huge herds of horses ran across the plains of the American West. There may have been millions-so many that early maps simply named the area “ Wild Horses. "

Thousands of horses still run free. They roam the West in herds, usually far from people. These wild horses are called mustangs.

Where Did Wild Horses Come From? When Spanish explorers crossed the Atlantic Ocean five hundred years ago, they brought their horses. Over time, the Spanish left behind some horses. Other horses ran off. The horses learned to live free as wild animals across the American plains.

Over time, Native Americans tamed some of the wild horses. So did cowboys, who used horses to move large herds of cattle across the land. Other settlers used horses to help with the hard work of making new homes in the West. Once again, many of these tamed horses ran off. Others were left behind when people no longer needed them. Again, they joined herds in the wild.

Life of a Wild Horse Wild horses live in herds, or “ bands. " An adult male horse, called a stallion, leads each herd. The stallion is the mate of several female horses, or mares, who stay with the herd.