Are Horses Native To America? (Find Out!)

Horses are my favorite animal and I am always fascinated by their strength and how they have been useful to humans throughout much of history.

When I was watching an old cowboy film the other day, it got me wondering if they are native to America.

So, are horses native to America?

The answer to this question is yes and no! Technically speaking, the species originated in North America around 4 million years ago, however they became extinct about 12,000 years ago. It wasn’t until European explorers brought them over in the early 16^th century that they were re-introduced to America.

In this article we’ll explore the history of horses in America, answering any other questions you might have relating to horses in native America.

We’ll take a look at what species horses belong to, where they are native to exactly if native Americans kept them and what types are common in America.

Let’s not waste any time and get to answering these questions!

What species do horses belong to?

Firstly, we should start by outlining the exact species that horses belong to.

Horses belong to the Equus genus (species), which comes from the wider Equidae family.

Sadly, horses, zebras and donkeys are the only remaining species left from this ancestral family today.

Where are horses native to?

You might be surprised to learn that fossil records indicate that horses – or at least the Equus genus – originated in North America around 4 million years ago.

They are then thought to have migrated to Eurasia (the land mass that is Europe and Asia) around 2 – 3 million years ago by crossing a former land bridge known as the Bering.

There are thought to have been several further migrations including westward to Asia and then back to North America.

However, the species became extinct in North America around 12,000 years ago and didn’t arrive back on the continent until 1493 when Christopher Columbus brought them over on his voyage from Spain.

Why did horses go extinct in America?

You might be surprised to learn that the reason horses are thought to have gone extinct in North America 12,000 years ago is because of a global cooling period of which America was hardest hit.

During this time, many species went extinct in North America such as the woolly mammoth, sabre-tooth cats and short-faced bears.

However, luckily horses had already crossed the Bering land bridge to Eurasia around a million years or so before this, meaning the species survived the climate change.

Did native Americans have horses?

As mentioned, horses were introduced back to America by Columbus in the late 15^th Century and before that they had been extinct for thousands of years.

So, you might be wondering if this means that native Americans kept horses, just like we’ve seen in the old cowboy movies?

Again, the answer to this question is yes and no!

For millennia, native American people travelled by foot, or made use of small pack animals like dogs to carry them and their cargo.

It wasn’t until the 16^th Century when European explorers travelled to America that horses were re-introduced to the continent.

When the European explorers reintroduced the horses, native Americans quickly obtained them.

The first known sighting of native American people with horses was 1521 in the Carolinas.

Native Americans used horses in a different way from the European settlers and they went on to become an important part of native American culture and rural life into the 20^th Century.

How did native Americans use horses?

As mentioned, the native Americans developed a distinct horse culture from the Europeans.

So, how did they use horses?

Before the native Americans had access to horses they hunted on foot or used smaller pack animals like dogs to hunt.

This meant that when they finally obtained horses, they were awestruck by the strength and speed of them and gave them names like “holy dog” or “sky dog”.

Horses enhanced the nomadic lives of the native Americans by allowing them to transport their belongings on wooden sledges so they could migrate to follow seasonal hunts.

Native Americans also used horses to hunt larger animals such as buffalos, giving them better quality meat and larger quantities – ultimately taking the pressure off the hunting process.

Native American tribes also utilised horses for warfare as their strength and speed made them excellent tools for this.

This is perhaps why the European settlers did not want the Native American people to gain access to horses as it essentially put them in an equal position of power.

What horse breeds are native to America?

Interestingly, native Americans had a huge influence on the breeds that are common in America today.

Native Americans had excellent breeding knowledge and as a result, native American bred horses tend to be especially intelligent and athletic.

Some of the most common Native American horse breeds are:

Appaloosa

Paint horse

Spanish Mustang

Quarter horse

In conclusion, this article has explored the origins and history of horses in America.

Horses are technically native to America as the species evolved there around 4 million years ago, however a period of global climate change made them extinct in America around 12,000 years ago.

It wasn’t until the Spanish voyages in the late 15^th century and early 16^th century that horses were re-introduced to their native land by European explorers.

Native Americans quickly obtained horses which enhanced their lives allowing them to hunt more effectively and travel.

This developed a strong American horse culture that existed well into the 20^th century.

Native Americans are known for their excellent horse breeding knowledge, with horses such as Spanish Mustangs and Appaloosas a result of their knowledge.

I hope this article has been useful in answering your questions about the origins of horses and their history in North America!