|
|
 |
| Wild horses also called
mustangs roamed the American west for hundred years. At one time there
were millions of them. The first “wild horses”
were tame horses. They were brought to the new world by Spanish explorers.
Some of the horses escaped or were turned loose. They became the first
mustangs to roam free. The mustangs were the first
horses the Indians have |
 |
In 1800s, when wagon trains
settled in the plains different breeds broke loose a when to live with the
mustangs. In the late 1800s there
were more than two million mustangs. As people moved into the mustangs
land people killed them to make room for their livestock and crops. After
a while only a few mustangs lived in the west. By 1960s, many people many
people were worried that the mustangs would vanish. School children wrote
letters to their congressmen to save the mustangs. In 1971, a law
was passed to save the mustangs.
|
|
|
|
| Mustangs
have adapted well to life in the deserts. Mustangs are smaller then most
domestic horses. A Thoroughbred can weigh 1,2000 pounds, but a large wild
stallions weigh only 1,000 pounds. They are smaller because they live in
harsher environment. They
work harder to find enough food. Young horses grow slowly then domestic
horses. But if they are captured and raised on a diet of hay and oats they
will grow as large as a domestic horse. Each day they travel many miles in
the heat to find water. In such a severe environment they only live up to
20 years. Many domestic horses live longer.
Surround by vast, open
land, mustangs are more alert to danger. In the past wolves, mountain
lions, and prairie fires threatened mustangs. But today they fears are
humans. |
|
|
Mustangs live in groups
called herds. In hears there are one stallion and 1-8 mares. Mares are
female horses. The stallion wins the mares from other stallions. The foal
(a baby horse) lives in the herd too. Leading a family band is hard work
for the stallion. His biggest responsibility for the stallion is to
defending his mares.
|
| While grazing he constantly
lifts his head to watch out for danger. He also circles his mares to keep
them bunched together. At the first sign of dangers such as a person. The
stallion snorts loud and signals the band to retreat. As his mares and
foals retreat. He lags behind to protect them. He also stops frequently
and faces the threat. |
| During the foals first days of life they feed on their mother's milk. By three to four weeks foals bring to try grass. Foals grow fast during their first few months. By a year old the foal don't need their mother. |  |
 |
 |
 |
|
 |
| * Home Page * Standardbred * Przewalsk's |
