THE INDIAN PONY 
T HE Indian pony of the western plains and moun¬ 
tains was descended from the horses brought to 
North America by the Spaniards. In 1519, Cortez 
led the first expedition in the Spanish conquest of 
Mexico. He had with him sixteen fine horses, among 
which were two of the famed Jennet breed of Spain. 
Many more were landed by later adventurous Span¬ 
iards. 
One of these Spanish explorers, Ferdinand de Soto, 
took a number of horses to Florida with him in 1539. 
Some of these horses were later abandoned west of the 
Mississippi River. These, together with the ones landed 
in Mexico, were the ancestors of the bands of wild 
horses that roamed the plains and mountains of the 
west and became known as Mustangs. 
Before the coming of the Mustangs the Indian tribes 
traveled and hunted on foot. At first they were afraid 
of the strange animals, but later caught and tamed 
these wild horses and used them for mounts. Thus the 
