The Horse

The horse has always been the most important tool of the cowhand. On the back of a horse, the cowboy could herd cattle all day and ride longer distances than he could walk. Western horses were descended from those that the Spanish explorers brought to Mexico, beginning with Hernán Cortés in 1519. Through the years, horses and livestock brought to the New World multiplied on the fertile plains. Some of the stock escaped over the centuries and remained wild. Settlers called the untamed horses “mustangs,” a corruption of the Spanish word mestaños, which means “wild horse.” After the Civil War, other horses brought out west were bred with the mustangs for use on ranches.

Most ranches today use quarter horses—a hardy native breed, partly derived from the early cowboy horses. Named for its ability to run at blazing speeds over a quarter of a mile, the quarter horse’s powerful hindquarters and shoulders make it quick and strong, and its calm temperament and gentleness make it ideal for ranch work.