Mustangs

Mustangs are a type of wild horses which live in the western portion of the United States. They are known for being fast, graceful, and independent. The word Mustang comes from the Spanish word Mestengo, and was used to refer to straying cattle. The Mustangs which live today are descendant from the Spanish horses that were brought into the Americas by the Spaniards in the 15th century.

Though these horses were originally brought to Mexico, many were stolen or escaped, and eventually spread north. Native Americans quickly saw the importance of these animals, and begin capturing and taming them. They then begin using these horses for transportation, and this allowed them to be better at hunting, trading, and fighting. Some Native American tribes such as the Nez Perce were successful in breeding horses which were separate from the Spanish horses, such as the Appaloosa.

Once Europeans begin spreading across the North American continent in the 18th century, their horses would escape and add to this gene pool. Some settlers would allow their horses to escape during the winter and then capture them again in the spring. By the 19th century there were nearly 1 million Mustangs in the United States, but many were captured for military use or killed for food.

Today there are between 40,000 and 100,000 Mustangs left in the wild Many of these horses are in the state of Nevada or Utah. Though ranchers complain about them because they compete with their cattle, animal rights groups argue that these horses existed on the land before the ranchers, and should not be forced off. Mustangs are considered to be a national treasure, and laws have been passed which protect them. Their population is regulated by capturing them and offering them up for adoption. As of 2005, laws have been passed stating that horses over 10 years of age may be sold for slaughter.

Because many Mustangs originate from horses brought from Spain, they will have the traits and features seen in horses such as the Sorraia and other horses native to the country. They are also mixed with the genes of horses brought by European settlers, and will have these traits as well. Mustangs are elegant horses, and may come in a variety of colors. They may be brown, tan, dark brown, or black.

Though Mustangs aren't true American horses, they are symbols which are seen as representing the American West. They are an important part of the ecology of the United States, and have been there for many centuries.