What is the difference between a mustang and an ordinary horse. Mustang horse (photo): splendor born on the prairies. About the further free life of mustangs

The Mustang is a descendant of the Spanish or Iberian horses that were brought to the Americas by Spanish explorers in the 16th century.

The name comes from the Spanish word mustengo, which means "ownerless beast" or "stray horse". Many people still think that mustangs are just wild horses, but in fact, the mustang is one of the breeds of horses with a freedom-loving and wayward character that can be domesticated.

In the photo of a mustang horse you can see what a variety of colors this breed has. About half of all wild horses are reddish-brown with an iridescent sheen. Others are gray, black, white, gray-brown with various inclusions. The favorite color of the Indians was spotted or camouflage.

The Indians, of course, sought to adapt the mustangs to their goals, so they were engaged in improving the breed. These horses are included in the class of mammals, a detachment of large equids from the horse family. The height of horses can reach 1.6 meters, weight is about 340 kilograms.

Features and habitat of the mustang

Mustang wild horses appeared in North America about 4 million years ago and spread to Eurasia (presumably by crossing the Bering Isthmus) 2 to 3 million years ago.

After the Spaniards reintroduced horses to America, Native Americans began to use these animals for transportation. They have fantastic stamina and speed. Plus, their chunky legs are less prone to injury, making them ideal for long journeys.

Mustangs are descendants of livestock that have escaped, been abandoned, or released into the wild. The breeds of truly wild predecessors are Tarpan and. Mustangs live in the grassland areas of the western United States.

Most of the Mustang's population is found in the western states of Montana, Idaho, Nevada, Wyoming, Utah, Oregon, California, Arizona, North Dakota, and New Mexico. Some of them also live on the Atlantic coast and on islands such as Sable and Cumberland.

Character and lifestyle

As a result of their environment and behavior patterns, mustang horse breed has stronger legs and higher bone density than domestic horses.

Since they are wild and unshod, their hooves must be able to withstand all kinds of natural surfaces. Mustangs live in large herds. The herd consists of one stallion, about eight females and their cubs.

The stallion controls his herd so that none of the females fight back, because otherwise, they will go to the rival. If a stallion finds a litter of another stallion in his territory, he sniffs, recognizing the smell, and then leaves his litter on top to announce his presence.

Herds spend most of their grazing time on grasses. The main mare in the herd plays the role of a leader, when moving the herd, she goes in front, the stallion goes behind, closing the processions and not allowing predators to approach.

The most difficult period for wild horses is to survive the winter. In addition to low temperatures, lack of food is a problem. In order not to freeze, the horses stand in a heap and warm themselves with the help of body heat.

Day after day they dig snow with their hooves, eat it to get drunk and seek out dry grass. Due to poor nutrition and cold, the animal can weaken and become easy prey for predators.

Horses have few enemies: and people. In the Wild West, cowboys catch wild beauties to tame and sell. At the beginning of the 20th century, they began to be caught because of the meat, and horse meat is also used in the manufacture of pet food.

Mustang food

It is a common misconception that mustang horses eat only hay or oats. Horses are omnivores, they eat plants and meat. Their main diet consists of grass.

They can survive for a long time without food. If food is readily available, adult horses will eat 5 to 6 pounds of plant food each day. When grass supplies are scarce, they eat well everything that grows: leaves, low bushes, young twigs and even tree bark. They drink water from springs, streams or lakes twice a day, and are also looking for mineral salt deposits.

Reproduction and life expectancy of the mustang

Before mating, the mare lures the stallion by swinging her tail in front of him. The offspring of mustangs are called foals. Mares carry a foal for an 11-month gestation period. Mustangs usually give birth to foals in April, May, or early June.

This gives the foal the opportunity to get stronger and grow before the onset of the cold months of the year. Babies feed on their mother's milk for a year, until another cub appears. Almost immediately after giving birth, mares can mate again. Grown up stallions, often in the form of a game, measure their strength, as if preparing for more serious fights for mares.

Without human intervention, their population can double in size every four years. Today, the growth of these horses is controlled and, to maintain an ecological balance, they are caught for meat or resale.

It is believed that in some habitats, horses harm the ground covered with sods and cause irreparable damage to vegetation and animals. About mustang horses today there are heated disputes between the Office for the Protection of Nature and the indigenous population where the horses live.

The local population is against the extermination of the mustang population and give their arguments in favor of increasing the number. About 100 years ago, about 2 million mustangs roamed the North American countryside.

With the development of industry and cities, they were forced west into the mountains and deserts at present, due to capture in the wild, there are fewer than 25,000 of them left. Most breeds, as a rule, live from 25 to 30 years. However, mustangs have a lower lifespan than other horses.

Mustang as delusion? January 19th, 2013

When we hear the word MUSTANG, many probably imagine something like the one in the photo above, or at least various modifications of the Ford Mustang. or even a P-51 Mustang fighter. In general, in the usual sense, Mustangs are beautiful and graceful horses.

Let's find out how mustangs appeared in general and what they are.

Let's start from afar. A long time ago - I think 50 million years ago, horses lived in North America - more precisely, the ancestors of the horse. They were about the size of a cat and instead of hooves on their feet they had five fingers (such handsome ones). A lot of work and time was spent by paleontologists to prove to skeptics that this is the ancestor of the horse. The animal was named - eogippus.

Approximately 30 million years ago, some unknown catastrophe occurred in North America, due to which all eogippus died out there.

Fortunately, some of them managed to move to Eurasia, where life forced them to become ... (almost wrote: people) - horses.

It is hard to believe that the ancestors of all mustangs were only 70 horses that survived in 1539 after
unsuccessful expedition to the Mississippi by conquistador Hernando de Soto. The height of the mustangs ranges from 134 to 153 cm. Any color. Due to mixed ancestors, the structure of the body is very heterogeneous. The best representatives have a powerful physique with strong dry limbs and hooves. Many mustangs have a Spanish-type head with a convex profile, as a rule, a short neck, straight shoulders, slightly pronounced withers, and a short back.

The word "mustang" comes from the Spanish words mesteno or monstenco, meaning "wild" or "no man's". (another version claims that the word "mustang" comes from the Spanish "mesteth", which means "herd of horses") This term accurately describes the wild horses of the United States. The modern horse evolved three million years ago and disappeared from this hemisphere 10,000 years ago. The horses returned to North America when the explorers Cortés and De Soto appeared riding magnificent Barbary and Andalusian horses. These were the horses that changed the lives of the American Indians who lived on or near the Great Plains. The Pueblo Indians learned to ride and passed this skill on to other tribes.

Spaniards in South America

In 1680 the Indians rebelled against Spanish rule and the Spaniards left thousands of horses in a hasty retreat. The Indians caught these horses, but some of them escaped. It turned out to be much easier to raid the Spanish settlers and steal their horses. Trying to stop the Indian raids, the Spanish government sent a ship with reinforcements to the New World. It was hoped that the Indians would catch the "wild" horses and leave the Spaniards alone. Tens of thousands of Spanish horses, turned into free animals, grazed on the Rio Grande for about 200 years. These horses soon met with draft horses and cowboy ponies that had escaped from ranches and farms owned by settlers from the east. Others were driven off by wild stallions, who destroyed corral fences to add domestic mares to their herd. In addition, the Indians exchanged or captured horses from other tribes.

The Indians, of course, sought to adapt the mustangs to their goals, so they were engaged in improving the breed. Especially in horse breeding, the Comanche tribe distinguished itself. Other tribes, even if they did not specifically improve the mustangs, still sought to catch, steal or buy a better horse, so willy-nilly they took part in the selection.

After all the tribes of the Indians were destroyed, many horses were again left without owners.
Indian horses, as mustangs used to be called, having got to their historical homeland, apparently felt much better there than in harsh Eurasia, and successfully bred. A hundred years ago there were, according to various sources, two or three million.

Wild horse herds from the eastern United States were driven west by civilization, crossed the Mississippi River, and mingled with the western herds. French blood was represented by herds driven out of the territory in the Detroit area and fled from the French settlers from the South, from the New Orleans area. Another breed whose blood is probably present in Mustangs is the old type East Friesian.

The US government purchased about 150 stallions each year from the German government over a period of more than 10 years from the late 1880s to the early 1900s. East Friesian horses at that time were massive warm-blooded or draft animals and were sold for the needs of heavy artillery or for transporting large wagons. Thus, the horses that fled from the battlefields conducted by the American cavalry could pour their blood into the mustangs.

Numerous herds of wild horses did not pose much of a problem until the western states became densely populated. and cattle and other herbivores did not graze on the once desert plains. The badlands of the west could not support large populations of herbivores, and mustangs began to be shot on some ranches. The mustang population at the beginning of the twentieth century numbered two million. By 1926 this number had halved. Currently, the number of mustangs is about 30,000 heads. In 1970, less than 17,000 heads remained.

Gradually, pastoralists increasingly began to oust the mustangs from their pastures. When they did not leave voluntarily, they were killed. Then people decided that in general it would be useful to destroy wild horses, and then they began to round up them. After the Second World War, the real beating of the mustangs began.

Moreover, with the full connivance of the government, they exterminated them in the most barbaric and painful ways. With the help of cars and planes, they drove the herds to dead ends, then they stuffed wagons with horses, and so tightly that half of the animals came to the knacker in a crushed state. Of course, no one fed the horses either on the road or in the knackerel, so in the future they were distributed as follows: the dead were allowed for fertilizer, the still alive - for canned food for dogs.

In 1971, under public pressure, the US Wildlife Conservation Act was passed. Today, the BLM (Bureau of Land Manegement) organization monitors the mustang population. Under this protection, the number of wild horses began to grow rapidly, and in the 70s of the twentieth century, the question arose of controlling their population. The act ordered the destruction of all animals in excess of the established number of livestock "to restore the natural ecological balance of the region, and protect the region from damage associated with an increase in population."

The Adopt a Horse program began in 1973 in the Pryor Mountains of Montana, and was the sale of extra animals. Under this program, surplus animals were put up for auction at prices ranging from $125 per horse to $75 per wild donkey. Buyers must meet certain requirements for the proper transport and handling of animals. The horses remain the property of the government for one year after the sale. At the end of the year, the new owner must provide confirmation from the veterinarian and local authority certifying that the animal has been properly cared for. After approval, he is issued a certificate that he is the full owner of the animal.

Mustangs, in the hands of an experienced rider, usually become as obedient as horses born and raised on a farm. General Crook said: “Hardy Indian ponies can run 90 miles without needing food or water. They surpass in endurance all the cavalry horses we have on the frontier.” In addition to incredible endurance, Frank Hopkins noted the intelligence and economy of this horse breed. But there was another opinion. John Richard Young, a famous trainer, said this about mustangs: “Not only must we let mustangs disappear, we must do everything possible to exterminate them, because we simply cannot breed better horses than thoroughbred mustangs. Now a good horse, after special training and grain feed, is able to show miracles of endurance, but any good mustang will easily surpass it.”

Largely the result of natural selection, most mustangs are lightweight or riding horses. In some areas there are horses of a heavy draft type. Mustangs can be of any height, type, color and build. On average, the height at the withers is about 147 cm, but individuals below 135 cm or above 164 cm are not unusual. Bay and red colors are most common, but any is possible. Piebald, palomino, appaloosa, and buckwheat are also not uncommon. As a result of the influx of Spanish horse blood, many mustangs still show similarities with their Iberian ancestors. Recently, several small herds have been found in isolated areas, the horses of which, after blood testing, were found to be direct descendants of the Spanish horses. These are the Kiger Mustang and the Serat Mustang.

Domesticated mustangs are often very good riding horses. Due to their innate endurance, they are great for long rides. Currently, there are about 60 thousand mustangs. They live in only a few states, half of them are in Nevada.

So carefree guys (cowboys), prancing along the saloons on horses of elite breeds, are an invention of writers and directors. The Indians almost did not ride mustangs at all. They ate them.

sources

What is known about the Mustang horse is that they are wild and free, unbridled, very strong, hardy and beautiful animals. Many believe that they are some kind of descendants of French and Spanish Thoroughbreds. They are found in Eurasia and America. There are legends and stories about them. Unfortunately, the number of these animals is decreasing.

How the breed originated

Wild horses disappeared from North and South America 10 thousand years ago. The Spaniards brought them to the Continent of North America, which they discovered, later the Europeans, who explored the New World, brought this breed of horses. As a result of the fact that it was not always possible to carefully look after the animals, some of them ran away from the corral or from the battlefield. The favorable climate allowed them to get used to the natural conditions of life in the wild. Later, these horses got their name from the Spanish "mesteno", which means wild or not owned by anyone.

It was these wild progenitors that allowed the emergence of a new breed. Until recently, the number of mustangs was several million heads. And it was at this moment that they became popular trophies with hunters. Hunting was carried out to obtain meat from the skin. People tried to domesticate these wild horses, as they were hardy and beautiful. Today, Mustangs are on the verge of extinction. Animals are kept in national parks and reserves and protected by law.

Difference from domestic horses

Oddly enough, but the wild horse is descended from the domestic one. In their appearance, you can see the resemblance to their progenitors. They mated with heavy trucks, Frisians, ponies and other breeds. As a result of natural selection, horses received a riding type, which allowed them to develop greater speed in order to hide from the enemy. And from heavy trucks they received efficiency, survivability and strength. If we compare them with domestic horses, then wild representatives are unpretentious, have good health, can develop high speed, and have strong muscles.

All these advantages animals received in the wild. Their main drawback is uncontrollability, violence, unrestraint. In addition, the Mustang horse will treat well only the rider whom he considers worthy. But from the same side, devotion to the owner can be added to these animals. Therefore, there are so many beautiful stories and legends associated with these horses.

Appearance

The Mustang horse has an average body size, weight is about 400 kg and below. Height at the withers 150 cm, lightweight body type, which allows animals to gain more speed when running. The coat color is bay, red, piebald, and there are also black mustangs. These horses live in herds, they have their own families, where there is a male leader and the main female. The leader of the herd protects the animals from the attack of enemies. He is generally the strongest, which he proves in combat. The main male is 6 years old, experienced, he is trusted by animals. Other males obey him. The main female accompanies her herd during the absence of the male. She takes young animals and females away from danger during the attack of the enemy.

Such a female is not the strongest, not conflict. She must be prolific and experienced. In case of danger, the herd can become in a special circular formation, in the center of which are the young and females. There are males around the perimeter, they turn to the enemy with their croup. In this position, they can fight back with their hooves to the enemy. The diet of mustangs consists of green grass and shrubs, animals are not picky about the diet. The place where they live does not have much vegetation and water bodies. This causes them to travel long distances to find food and water. The main male leads his herd to a watering hole and pasture. Without food, these wild animals can be only a few days.

Mustang breeding

Mating season takes place in spring and early summer. Males must compete for the opportunity to breed with the best female. Therefore, fights take place, and the strongest gets the right to offspring. Thanks to such selection, only the strongest and strongest offspring are born, the gene pool improves.

The duration of pregnancy is 11 months. They get 1 foal, the appearance of two is not the norm.

During lambing, the female leaves the herd in search of a safe place. At the moment of appearance, the foal is weak, so the main task is to put him on his feet so that he can feed on mother's milk. Such feeding lasts up to 6 months or more. Today, experts are trying to increase the population of these animals and save them. Therefore, the rapid disappearance of this breed is stopped. Hunting is prohibited on their territory. Mustangs began to be appreciated by people, as this is a beautiful and strong animal that combines all the best qualities of horses and is worthy of preservation.

Mustangs are the feral descendants of horses that, along with Europeans, came to the North American continent in the 16th century. Ungulates living on the prairies differ from their domestic relatives in qualitative characteristics. Life in the wild has developed in them endurance, speed, unpretentiousness.

A significant drawback is the unbridled disposition of the animal. It is not easy to tame a horse and make it follow commands. But getting used to the owner, the horse becomes his faithful assistant.

Story

A horse with a spot on its forehead was considered a sacred animal by the Indians.

The records of historical chronicles tell of the campaign of a detachment of mounted Spanish soldiers led by Hernando de Soto to the Mississippi River. Of the 900 people and 350 horses, only 300 soldiers and 70 horses survived. People sailed back, and the horses were abandoned to their fate. It is from this small population that all wild American horses are believed to have originated.

Representatives of different breeds took part in the formation of a new variety:

• Spanish and French horses;
• Frisian heavy trucks;
• pony.

The mixing of blood was beneficial, and feral animals were able to inherit the best qualities of their ancestors. The presence of extensive grazing areas, a good forage base, and the absence of natural enemies caused the rapid growth of the population. By the 19th century, wild horses had settled throughout the plains of North America.

The animals were called mustangs, which in Spanish means "belonging to no one, without a master, wild." The domestication of horses was taken up by the Indians, who had not previously had them. Mustangs not only became their faithful assistants on hunting and during hostilities, but also entered the traditional culture. Horses with spots on their heads and chests were revered as sacred animals. The Indians believed that they bring good luck to their master.

The Mohawk Indians bred a new breed of horse from wild mustangs, which was nicknamed the "Indian pony". Animals are distinguished by their compact size, short stature up to 1.3–1.4 m at the withers.

At the beginning of the last century, about 2 million mustangs lived in the United States. Their extermination began during the First World War. Horse meat was used for the manufacture of canned food, and the skins were used in the leather industry. The end of the war period did not put an end to the mustang hunt. Horses continued to be killed for meat. It was purchased by pet food manufacturers. By the 70s. Mustangs were on the verge of extinction.

Under pressure from the public, the US authorities passed a law on the protection of wild ungulates. For one killed mustang, the poacher is entitled to a fine of 2,000 dollars. Currently, according to zoologists, 17-20 thousand wild horses live in the wild. Their populations are concentrated in remote areas of the western states:

• Nevada;
• Montana;
• Wyoming.

Toadstool bird (crested grebe) - description, lifestyle

Appearance

Bay color, most characteristic of mustangs

The exterior of the mustang differs little from ordinary domestic horses. They have a proportional, muscular physique - a short body is combined with straight strong legs.

They are characterized by short stature and moderate body weight:

• height at the withers 135–155 cm;
• weight 400–500 kg.

The mixing of blood led to a variety of colors:

• bay;
• piebald;
• black;
• redhead;
• buckwheat.

Horses have long manes and tails.

Lifestyle

Herd of mustangs in the wild

Mustangs are herd animals living in herds of 15–20 individuals. The leader of the herd is the male leader. In his submission there are several females with young animals. The population occupies a certain territory, over which it moves freely, changing pastures.

During migrations, horses develop a speed of 100–150 km per hour and are able to cover distances of up to 90 km per day.

The diet of mustang horses is purely vegetarian. They nibble grass, pluck leaves from bushes. Living in the steppe arid zone has developed in animals unpretentiousness and the ability to do without water for a long time. One of the main tasks of the leader is the ability to find a watering hole.

reproduction

The mating season begins in late spring - early summer. At this time, males become especially aggressive. They enter into tough fights among themselves for the right to cover the female. Pregnancy lasts 11 months. Before the onset of childbirth, the mare is separated from the herd and chooses a secluded place for the birth of offspring. As a rule, 1 foal appears at a time. The birth of a pair of babies is a rarity.

Foals are very vulnerable and at first completely dependent on their mother. They hide in the grass while a mare grazes nearby. The color of the coat helps the young to blend in with the environment and not attract the attention of predators.

The female with the foal returns to her herd, where it is easier to avoid dangers and take care of the newborn. Up to 8 months, the foal feeds on mother's milk and gradually becomes accustomed to green food. Young horses reach sexual maturity at 3 years old. The main male expels the grown stallions from the herd so that they do not compete with him. Fillies stay with everyone and participate in procreation.

Mustangs have developed a special behavior in case of danger. When predators appear, an old experienced female tries to take most of the herd to a safe place, and the stallion does not allow the enemy to approach. Powerful hooves serve as means of protection, their blow is capable of breaking the skull of the enemy. Therefore, horses are rarely attacked by wolves or coyotes.

Animals have stable strong immunity, little susceptible to disease. Under natural conditions, mustangs live an average of 20 years.

The mustang horse is an animal whose incredible powerful energy and love for free life become apparent even when looking at the photo. Where did these proud and free horses come from, how they survive on the wild prairies, and you will learn other interesting facts about mustangs below.

How Mustangs Came to Be

The Mustang is a horse that looks like a domestic horse but is feral. It turned out due to historical events and not without human help.

So, back in the 16th century, when settlers began to populate the American continent, they brought with them not only clothes, food and other things, but also animals, incl. horses. At that time, horses served as transport and were indispensable helpers in agriculture.

Every year the territory was settled more and more, using horses for movement. Often the animals could not withstand the load: they began to limp, fell from fatigue, refusing to walk. People left them in the hope that there would be a chance to return and pick up their pets, but the need to search for food made the four-legged go far from these places, and the animal instinct helped them unite in herds. They were also joined by individuals who ran away from the farms and were not returned by the owners.

This is how wild horses began to spread across the continent, and by the beginning of the 19th century their number reached 2 million. They were given the name by borrowing the word “mustang” from the Spanish language, i.e. "wild" or "nobody's".

Territory of residence

West, i.e. North and South America, inhabited by free mustangs to this day. Tamed individuals also live in Europe.

Lifestyle

Mustang is a breed of horse that still lives in nature. Its representatives still live in herds, where there are male leaders, alpha females and other horses. There are about 18 individuals in total.

The most important male stands on the protection of the herd, and in case of danger, he alone will fight off enemies. In this case, the alpha female will have to take the entire herd to a safe place.

Sometimes several herds unite to repel the attack of predators. To do this, the horses become in a circle so that the foals are in the center. Their main weapon is their hooves, with which they fight off enemies.

Horse neighing is a way to communicate with their own kind.

Difference from a domestic horse

Being direct descendants of domesticated horses, mustangs, of course, retained some of their features. First of all, it is the appearance. However, many qualities have been improved due to the need for self-sufficiency, camouflage from predators, etc.

Whatever breed the mustangs are compared with, they will differ from their counterparts, remaining the most:

• strong;
• large;
• strong;
• capable of high speed.

Their immunity is much stronger than that of domesticated relatives, despite the fact that they are less whimsical in care and food.

At the same time, the mustang is harder to tame, train or train. No wonder it is believed that the one who earns the trust and achieves the obedience of the mustang is an extraordinary person.

Characteristic features and appearance

Features of character

Wild mustangs are unusually hardy, smart, fast and strong animals. All these features were collected by them from different breeds: ponies, saddle horses, heavy trucks, etc.

Despite the waywardness of character and devotion to wildlife as a habitat, it is possible to tame them and gain respect. Such a horse becomes incredibly devoted to its owner.

Description

The appearance of mustangs is different, because they are mixed with more than one blood. Their colors can be:

• piebald;
• black;
• brown;
• bay;
• redhead;
• appaloosa, etc.

Usually it is a strong horse, about 1.5 m high and long, weighing up to 400 kg. The body, neck and back are short, the withers are inexpressive, the legs are strong. It is these proportions that allow the horses to accelerate to very high speeds.

Their mane is long and shiny. This is, in principle, a clean breed, so the skin of the mustangs is always well-groomed and plays temptingly on the salt lick.

Nutrition and reproduction

What do they eat

Like all horses, mustangs are herbivores. They eat fresh herbs, leaves, small shrubs. In search of food, wild horses can travel hundreds of kilometers.

Individuals that are kept by people consume about 3 kg of food per day. This is grass, and hay, and mixed fodder. Breeders who have mustangs in their “farm” note that even a wild horse likes sugar and carrots.

On a hot day, they need about 60 liters of liquid, but if the weather is cool, much less: up to 30 liters.

How they breed

From mid-spring to early summer, mustangs arrange mating games for further breeding. To continue their race, stallions win mares. Only the strongest deserve to have offspring.

Exactly 11 months the female bears her child (this period may be slightly less or slightly more by 7-14 days). Being "in position", the mare is located in a secluded place and does not leave it until the foal.

A newborn foal (usually only one baby) stands firmly on its feet, just two hours after birth. His food is mother's milk. This lasts up to 7 months. Then he starts eating grass.

Saving a View

In the 21st century, there are 20 to 30 thousand mustang horses living far from people. For the sake of skin and meat, people massively kill wild horses, not thinking about the fact that the breed simply disappears. There are specific regulations in US law that protect this now scarce species by regulating its survival and quantity.

Since 1971, these animals are officially forbidden to kill.

Mustangs on the farm

It is not surprising that many breeders dream of having these beautiful "savages" in their household. They perfectly cope with physical activities and can be used in agriculture. In addition, they are trained to participate in sports races, because hardy and high-speed mustangs are more suitable for this sport than anyone else.

Moreover, the maintenance of mustangs does not cause much trouble. As mentioned above, they are unpretentious in terms of food and living conditions. The main thing is to be able to choose a horse: you don’t need to take an individual older than 10 years old, but also young ones, i.e. up to 6 years, do not recommend purchasing. It is very important to establish psychological contact with the horse, otherwise the purchase will be in vain.

The fate of the offspring

It is interesting that grown stallions at the age of 3 years are expelled from the herd by the leader. This happens because the main male does not want to see competitors, because it often happens that young horses that have reached six years old, i.e. “of the age of the leader”, they beat off all his herd from the elderly horse.

The mare, who is the mother of a young exile, is faced with a choice: stay with her herd or leave after the child.

Mustang as a symbol

In the US, they are very fond of using mustangs as symbols. So, in Nevada, there is a coin with the image of a mustang in circulation. He is the hero of many famous novels ("Headless Horseman", "Mustang Pacer", etc.).

Well, how not to mention the legendary Mustang car model.

A couple of centuries ago, brought to America and runaway horses were caught by the Indians. At first they only ate them, then they learned to ride. The Indians believed that a mustang with a spot on its head and chest, especially with white, is sacred. They worshiped him like an idol and were sure that such a horse would certainly bring success in the war.

To this day, no matter how many new breeds are bred, no matter what qualities they have, no one can replace beautiful and stately mustangs. They excite the imagination, being an invisible link between the modern world and untouched nature.