Native Americans and horses

Many advantages and benefits came to those who were able to obtain the horse. Native American tribes were always trying to expand their herd in order to obtain the largest herd. However, the Spaniards, Mexicans, and Anglo-Americans were also in pursuit of horses. Many advantages such as mobility, hunting tactics, and warfare were increased with the acquisition of the horse. Native American tribes were very precise in which horses they raided from their enemies. Specifically, horses from the Spaniards and Mexicans had increased value. The preferred horses were normally laden with high priced saddles, blankets, bridles and saddlebags. These pieces of equipment increased trading opportunity and provided tribes with useful equipment. Horses were obtained through trading, raids, and war.
Separation of tribes caused by horses
The introduction of the horse revolutionized life for Native Americans. However, the distribution of horses was not equal and this complicated life for tribes who had less access to horses. Due to differences in climates and the difficulties associated with caring for horses throughout the winter; horses were not as abundant in the north. Two subsets formed between various Plains tribes. The southern tribes earlier access to horses because Spanish settlers brought herds from Mexico. This initially created a social division between tribes, the more horses a tribe had the more powerful it became. Tribes such as the Comanche and Cheyenne who had many horses, were able to push tribes like the Apache, Wichita, and Tonkawa off of plains territory. Ecology also played a role in the distribution of the horse. Water is the most crucial variable in horse ownership. Because horses require so much more water than humans, they had to move around to various water sources. Native American tribes had to be constantly aware of proximity to water sources. Tribes also had to be aware of surrounding shade, fuel, forage, shelter, and supplemental foods for horses. All of these factors determined where a tribe could or could not effectively raise horses.
Negative impacts
Horses helped Native Americans in a vast number of ways. Hunting techniques, moving, trading, and warfare were all ways that the acquisition of the horse helped Native Americans. However, equestrian life also brought negative side effects. They disrupted grassland and bison ecology, created social inequalities within and outside of tribes, and increased resource competition. Because the horse became a useful tool, tribes sought to acquire as many horses as possible. The tribes that had horses became more powerful and inequalities arose between tribes based on whether they possesses horses. At times, tribes raided horses from rival tribes.
Horses and Warfare
The acquisition of the horse also impacted how Native Tribes fought in battle. Horses allowed a rider to cross steep terrain and challenging backcountry in a fraction of the time. Riders could also fight on the backs of horses increasing speed, height, and range. This gave a tremendous advantage to tribes with many horses. The horse also allowed a rider to carry necessary gear for battle and food for several days. In many cases, the tribe with the most horsepower won the battle. This led to tribes raiding other tribes of their horses.
Environmental impacts
Bison hunting was streamlined due to the acquisition of horses. With the acquisition of the horse, bison hunting became much more efficient. The horse provided means for scouting and longer-range hunts. Rather than following bison herds, Blackfoot tribes learned behavioral patterns in order to predict bison movements. This allowed Blackfoot people to set up hunting camps adjacent to bison herds and organize very successful hunts. With an increase in horse numbers, the northwestern plains suffered a decrease in bison numbers. The landscape could not support both horses and bison of such large quantities. Because horses also have a higher forage demand than bison, there was less vegetation on the landscape. With an increase in hunting and less forage to go around the bison population suffered.
Spirituality
The horse became incorporated into the spiritual traditions of many tribes. For example, the Blackfoot people had multiple origin stories describing how horses were given to humans by various spirits. The importance of horses is depicted within their art. Horse figures appear in their art second only to human figures. It is very clear that horses were very important to not only their physical way of life, but also a centerpiece of their beliefs. In later petroglyphs horses are often portrayed with a rider. When Native Americans discovered the usefulness of horses in hunting, they began to depict horses in artwork more and more. The best horses were decorated with fringe, feathers, and designs painted on by women.
Primary uses of horses
The horse known as the “four-legged soldier” as described by many people, was very effective in the gaining of property, ground, and movement of the people who possessed the horse. The horse was a huge advantage in warfare and changed how they could carry out these acts. Those who had the horse controlled the land. Horses made it possible for Native American Tribes to become much more mobile. Moving to more fertile areas, where bison herds would move, and also going to more fertile land for their tribes.
Ute Indians on horseback
The Ute Indians were among the first North American groups to acquire the horse. The thing that made the Ute group so special is how they were able to not only acquire the horse, but to master the horse. Mastering the horse is not an easy task. Because the Utes were able to do so this made them one of the most dominant and most respected tribes. The horse became a symbol of wealth and pride to the Utes. Utes were one of the most feared groups in battle because of their tactics and mastery of the horse . Because of special stirrups that Utes had developed and used on their horses, they were able to fight in many different ways. They could slide underneath the horse with ease and maneuver in many different ways giving them the advantage in battle. They were able to attack and shoot from underneath the horse as the horse continued running. Because of these tactics and the mastery of the horse by the Utes, they were able to be very successful in the 17th century into the early 18th century.
The horse introduced incredible advantages for the Ute Indians. As the Utes mastered the horses they were masters at managing their herds, and continually growing their herds. Because of the number of horses obtained they were able to travel further distances than ever before. Moving their whole tribe as needed, they did not have to leave anyone behind as they could move as they pleased with the horse. They expanded their territory traveling as far east as the panhandles of Texas and Oklahoma. Because of the horse, Utes were able to sustain their tribe through hard times. This was because horses were able to pack additional food and supplies needed to help their people make it through the brutal winter season. The horse made the Utes among the most feared tribes. In the 1700s the Utes joined with the Comanches and together these tribes with their horses dominated and carried out extensive raids against their neighboring tribes for following years.

Main Menu

See Also

Main Menu