A brief history of the wild Mustang

The Mustang descended from French and English horse breeds, and was introduced to the Americas by Spanish conquistadors in the mid-1600s.

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The Mustang is a feral horse, largely found on the grasslands of western US. Oklahoma State University explains that the word ‘mustang’ comes from the Spanish word mesteño or monstenco, which means ‘wild’ or ‘stray’.

“Originally, [Mustangs] were Spanish horses or their descendants, but over the years, they became a mix of numerous breeds,” says the university.

The horse changed the lives of the indigenous Americans living in or near the Great Plains, the university adds. As Spanish settlers moved further west throughout the Americas, they brought their horses with them. The website Horsy Land explains that the horses were originally given to indigenous Americans by the Spanish. As horses were absent from the Americas at the time, the animal was the indigenous Americans’ first introduction to horses.

(Indigenous Americans quickly became known as exceptional horsemen, with the Comanche particularly well known for the feats they could perform on horseback). Throughout the 16th century, the Mustang became essential for the lives of indigenous Americans, being used for transportation and improving livelihoods, says Horsy Land. “Tribes with horses were seen as dominant, giving them a trading edge as horses were often traded for meat, cloth, tools and weapons,” Horsy Land says. “The natural speed and endurance made them the perfect companion for trekking the vast open spaces of western America. However, their strong-willed and free-spirited nature made them hard to tame and keep ‘on mission’.”