The Mustang is an animal known to everyone. Wild horses in nature: photo, description

In nature, the most beautiful animals are horses, especially wild ones. Most attractive among them are mustangs. A lot of stories are composed and filmed films about these freedom-loving, beautiful and powerful animals.

What are they, Mustangs are wild horses? How do they live in the wild? All this and their habits can be found in this article.

How did the history of the mustangs begin?

Mustangs are wild horses, whose fate has been developing for a long time and is not so simple. There are many sad and tragic moments in their history. Once in America, about 10 thousand years ago, all the horses died out.

Then in the 16th century Spanish conquistadors brought new horses to America. Initially, the Indians did not want to recognize unknown to them strange animals: all the horses that came to them, they killed and eaten. But soon realized the value of such an animal as a fast and powerful vehicle and a great helper in battle and hunting.

The Indians, unlike the Europeans, rode horses without saddles, and the horses were trained to obey even the whisper of the rider, as well as a clear reaction to every movement of the master. The Indian almost merged with his irreplaceable friend into a single whole.

Thus, moving from one tribe to another, horses began to spread virtually throughout the United States. But there were occasions that the horses ran away from the man and burst free. And the Indians themselves often threw sick, tired and obese animals to the mercy of fate.

With the passage of time, the herds of wild mustangs began to appear on the vast expanses of prairies. The word "mustang" is most likely derived from mestenos (Spanish). The so-called sheep who fought off the herd. So there were free and surprisingly beautiful horses in nature.

About the future life of Mustangs

Due to the fact that there were no dangerous predators, nothing hindered the peaceful and free life of large flocks of wild mustangs. Their numbers grew so fast that in the middle of the 19th century, about 2 million mustangs wandered around America.

At the very beginning, the blood of Arabian and Andalusian horses flowed in their veins, but gradually noble horses increasingly crossed with other breeds. Survived in the wild only the most hardy horses with great health.

Mustang description

The height at the shoulders of the mustang is from 135 to 155 centimeters.

In connection with mixed origin (the blood of Andalusian and Arabian, local horses) in Mustangs, the appearance may be completely different. The best representatives of this breed have strong hooves, strong legs and a folding muscular physique.

The weight of the mustang reaches 500 kg. Distinguish among them the following suits: piebald, red, bay, appaloosa and others.

Differences between Mustangs and Horses

Mustang - an animal that has, as it turned out, an amazing history of origin.

It is commonly believed that it all began with the fact that domestic horses for some reason became wild. There is a version that that's why they got the name "Mustang" (translated as "wild" or "wandering"). Whatever it was, many of the features of that domestic horse survived today in the wild.

The merging of different suits by crossing them took place in connection with the movement. So, the migration of Spanish and French horses, piqued to the emergence of a completely new offspring with an admixture of blood of friezes, ponies and heavyweights. In the selection process, only the strongest and hardiest survived, used in the future for riding and transporting weights.

The Mustang is an animal whose primary difference from an ancestor (a domestic horse) is greater speed, endurance, immense strength and unpretentiousness in content. Of course, there is also a negative difference - the horse is domestic, unlike the freedom-loving mustang, is more malleable in training. Mustang is characterized by rampant and disobedient, he can perceive man as master, but only as a person whom he will respect. And outwardly the mustang is different from the domestic horse, it is smaller in size.

Interesting facts about mustangs

The Mustang is an animal possessing numerous features, which can not be described in one small article. Here are some of the interesting facts, besides the facts described above:

• If earlier there were about 2 million heads, then after the ruthless hunting of people for horses for the sake of meat and skins, their number has greatly decreased and is about 20 thousand.

• There is in Nevada a coin with the image of a mustang (denomination of 25 cents).

• The US government has taken Mustangs under the protection at the legislative level.

• The Mustang mare, usually a few days before the birth, usually separates from his herd and seeks temporary shelter. The newborn baby begins walking a few hours after birth, and a few days later they return together to the herd.

Black horse

Mustangs can be black. A beautiful horse is a black horse, which is always in price. Usually such a suit is preferred by purposeful and powerful by nature people. Such a horse is black with a bluish tinge.

It is believed that A.Medonsky's horse is the representative of this suit. A beautiful and powerful physique, royal form and formidable character combined this black horse in itself.

The basic suits of the Mustangs are only four: gray, bay, black and red. Of the black suit, there were other species, for example, smoky-black.

Conclusion

Mustang - the animal is very strong. Such horses successfully participate in sports, they become prizewinners of many international competitions.

It should be noted that in Russia there is Vodny Island, which is located in the middle of the Turkmen Lake Manych-Gudilo. Amazing is the fact that this territory was occupied by a large herd of horse-mustangs. They live there for about 50 years. A phenomenon like this is inexplicably nothing, although scientists are trying to determine how they got on this island. There are a variety of versions ...