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A265 North American
Horses
This great new poster provides a comprehensive overview of the
subject by presenting the important breeds in historical
context. The horse evolved in North America during
prehistoric times. Around 20,000-30,000 years ago, it
crossed the land bridge into Asia and its descendants
migrated into Europe. The horse became extinct in North
America about 11,000 years ago.
Columbus reintroduced the horse to the New World on his second
voyage in 1493, when he brought them to Cuba. In 1516,
Cortez landed a small herd on continental North America. The
Spanish later brought many others. During the next century,
the English carried them to Virginia and New England and the
French transported them to Canada and Louisiana. Later, the
Germans, Dutch, Swedes and Finns brought their distinctive
breeds into New York, Delaware, Connecticut and
Pennsylvania. These colonial imports make up the first
section of the poster as they provided the bloodlines for
the many breeds that followed. Several very important but
now-extinct breeds are included.
The next section shows the feral and Native American horses. The
term “wild” refers to an animal that has never been
domesticated. “Feral” refers to domesticated animals that
have returned to the wild. All North American feral horses
are called “mustangs,” but there are several very important
breeds. The last section shows the many other breeds that
originated in North America. The importance of the horse to
our nation is conveyed through illustrations showing ways
they have been used by conquistadors, patriots, the U.S.
Army cavalry, cowboys, modern-day police and others.
Fifty-four magnificent breeds are faithfully and accurately
illustrated, making this poster an essential reference for
horse lovers. |
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