WILD HORSES OF AMERICA. 31 



"WILD HORSES OP AMERICA. 



The Wild Horses of America have probably no earlier an- 

 cestry in this country than the dates of the Spanish explorers. 

 There seems to have been no horses here before the discovery 

 of Columbus in 1492. There is no evidence that the horse 

 existed in America before Columbus's time, although fossil 

 remains of some early animal of the horse species have been 

 found, but concerning which little appears to have been known. 

 According to generally received authority, Columbus, on his 

 second voyage to this country, brought over a number of 

 horses in order that they might be bred here. 



The Spaniards in their later incursions brought over a num- 

 ber of war horses, and De Soto, in his exploits, wherein he 

 discovered the Mississippi River, had a heavy force of cavalry, 

 that, after their leader was drowned and when his followers 

 returned home, were set loose and abandoned to their fate; 

 many of which doubtless survived and were the origin of the 

 "Wild Horse of Texas and the Prairies. 



Horses thus abandoned by the early discoverers and settlers 

 were, in time, used by the Indians, and to such may be traced 

 the Mustang of to-day, whose habits, in the wild state, were 

 well worth studying, for in some particulars they possessed 

 almost human intelligence. 



They chose their own chief, which ruled and governed them 

 in an intelligent manner, giving the signal for change of 

 pasture and of danger from any source. "When they find a 

 pasture dried up they take up a line of march for " greener 

 fields and pastures new," the chief taking the lead of the 

 column, and who is the first to throw himself into a ravine, a 

 river, or an unknown wood. If any extraordinary object 

 appears, the chief commands a halt. He then goes to discover 

 what it is, and on his return gives by neigh the signal of confi- 

 dence, of flight, or of combat. If a fierce enemy presents itself, 

 that cannot be escaped by flight, the herd unite themselves into 

 a circular cluster, all heads turned towards the center where 

 the young animals take refuge. It is seldom that such a 



