It would be easy to imagine that the Comanche, Crow, and other Native Americans from America's breadbasket represented a timeless tradition, stretching back thousands of years. They certainly had an abundance of such traditions, but they were also bold innovators. This is an aspect of their culture not often celebrated. The story of horsemanship and the Plains Indian turns out to be a perfect example of Native innovation.
The Indian warrior on his horse, whether alone in the wilderness or gathered in a war party, is as iconic an image as it gets. It runs contrary to common expectation that the reality behind such scenes reflects a time span not longer than two centuries. Horses turn out not to be a timeless part of the American landscape, but an immigrant from Europe, which makes the Native American's expertise with them a tale of recognizing an opportunity and seizing it.
The first horses were brought to the New World by the Spanish, which means that Native American history had gone on for thousands of years without any of those familiar scenes. The Spanish knew their domination over the Indians had a lot to do with their horsemanship, so they tried to keep access to the animal and its secrets away from them. Throughout the 16th Century, too few horses were brought across the Atlantic to initiate any real population.
In time, the Spanish started hiring ranch hands from among the Pueblos and Navajos around them if only because their lands were growing large and their herds numerous. Indians learned about the horse and the abilities it gave the Spaniards through word of mouth, and they were impressed enough to steal horses from the ranches almost whenever they could. However, not until the closing decades of the 17th century would horsemanship begin to make its way beyond the Southwestern Indians closest to the Spanish.
In 1680 the Pueblos struck big, driving the Spanish off lands rich in all kinds of livestock, including horses by the thousands. Finally, there was a population of horses large enough for extensive trade with other First Peoples across the continent. By the turn of the 18th Century the Comanches of the southern Plains had begun to turn themselves into a people on horseback.
Comanches became the ultimate horse whisperers and the ultimate riders. In fact, they cultivated such a level of mastery in so short a time that the term "genius" is perfectly appropriate. As mounted warriors they defeated their competitors as the Khans had once ridden up before and defeated theirs, teaching the defeated just how potent a weapon the horse truly was.
The other Indians of the region modeled their skills on those of the Comanches. The Texas Rangers were also avid students of Comanche horsemanship. Its legend included rumors of fantastic acrobatic skills displayed at full gallop.
The 18th Century would see an arms race among northern peoples for mastery of the horse, which became particularly central to the all-important buffalo hunts. Some northern peoples, such as the Lakota Sioux became especially powerful, building the horseback army that would challenge the United States a century later. Their story of one of brilliant innovation.
The Indian warrior on his horse, whether alone in the wilderness or gathered in a war party, is as iconic an image as it gets. It runs contrary to common expectation that the reality behind such scenes reflects a time span not longer than two centuries. Horses turn out not to be a timeless part of the American landscape, but an immigrant from Europe, which makes the Native American's expertise with them a tale of recognizing an opportunity and seizing it.
The first horses were brought to the New World by the Spanish, which means that Native American history had gone on for thousands of years without any of those familiar scenes. The Spanish knew their domination over the Indians had a lot to do with their horsemanship, so they tried to keep access to the animal and its secrets away from them. Throughout the 16th Century, too few horses were brought across the Atlantic to initiate any real population.
In time, the Spanish started hiring ranch hands from among the Pueblos and Navajos around them if only because their lands were growing large and their herds numerous. Indians learned about the horse and the abilities it gave the Spaniards through word of mouth, and they were impressed enough to steal horses from the ranches almost whenever they could. However, not until the closing decades of the 17th century would horsemanship begin to make its way beyond the Southwestern Indians closest to the Spanish.
In 1680 the Pueblos struck big, driving the Spanish off lands rich in all kinds of livestock, including horses by the thousands. Finally, there was a population of horses large enough for extensive trade with other First Peoples across the continent. By the turn of the 18th Century the Comanches of the southern Plains had begun to turn themselves into a people on horseback.
Comanches became the ultimate horse whisperers and the ultimate riders. In fact, they cultivated such a level of mastery in so short a time that the term "genius" is perfectly appropriate. As mounted warriors they defeated their competitors as the Khans had once ridden up before and defeated theirs, teaching the defeated just how potent a weapon the horse truly was.
The other Indians of the region modeled their skills on those of the Comanches. The Texas Rangers were also avid students of Comanche horsemanship. Its legend included rumors of fantastic acrobatic skills displayed at full gallop.
The 18th Century would see an arms race among northern peoples for mastery of the horse, which became particularly central to the all-important buffalo hunts. Some northern peoples, such as the Lakota Sioux became especially powerful, building the horseback army that would challenge the United States a century later. Their story of one of brilliant innovation.
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