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Dark Horse Books Idaho

Saddlesmith Of Texas Idaho Wade Saddle $1324.99 The Idaho Wade will please the most ardent western enthusiast with its traditional, hand stamped basket tooling and Bullhide covered Wade tree. TREE TYPE: Bullhide Saddlesmith WadeGULLET WIDTH: 6.75GULLET HEIGHT: 7BAR TYPE: SEMI-QUARTER HORSEBAR LENGTH: 21.75HORN: 3 x 4 Pie horn with muleskin wrap. CANTLE: 4 1/2 hand tooled Cheyenne rollSWELL: 11RIGGING: Powder River plate style rigging- stainless steel C ring suspended from tooled leather rig.STIRRUP: 3 bell style with matching toolingSEAT: Buck-Tan padded insertSADDLE TYPE: Ranch

Horse Women Book $11.6 Horse Women – Strength, Beuty, and Passion. Willow Creek Press Little Books. Western Book: This favorite Horse Book features wonderful photographs and quotes evoking the special link between women and horses with respect to the grace, courage and creativity that they share. Horse Women is a horse book that honors the adventure,spirit, humor, spunk and heartfelt messages that exist in the world of horses and women. This book is a must have for any horse enthusiast and admirer of the free spirit. Melissa Sovey has compiled the images and passages that make the 96 full colored pages bound in 5.5 x 5.5 hard cover. ISBN: 1-59543-236-1-

Show Halter with Lead – Dark Chocolate – Horse $75 Heavy 1 double ply show halter with 3-way adjustment, floral hand engraved silver overlay and heavy strap leather with chain lead.Color: Dark ChocolateSize:  Horse

Saddlesmith of Texas Curb Chain – Burgundy Latigo/Dark Oil – Horse $5.8 Made Of 1/2 Heavy Saddle Leather W/ Bar Buckles And Twisted Link Chrome Steel Chain.Color: Burgundy Latigo/Dark OilSize:  Horse

Kelly Silver Star Hackamore – Dark and Light Tones Assorted – Horse $28.9 Polished aluminum hackamore with curb chain, top grain leather noseband. Leather is assorted darks and lights, no color choice.Color: Dark and Light Tones AssortedSize:  Horse

Nu-Image Dark Horse – 5 Pound $38.5 Specially formulated to enhance and shine coats, manes & tails on brown, bay and black horses. Helps prevent that washed out reddish-orange coat and brings out the essence in your horse s natural color. Balanced profile of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. Contains key amino acids lysine and methionine. B-vitamin package with high biotin and vitamin b6, copper and zinc. Paprika and kelp for a rich dark coat, mane and tail.Ingredients:Ground Extruded Soybeans, Stabilized Rice Bran, Stabilized Flax Seed, Dl-Methionine, Paprika, Kelp, Zinc Methionine, Copper Proteinate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B6) And Biotin.Size:  5 Pound

Nu-Image Dark Horse – 10 Pound $72.4 Specially formulated to enhance and shine coats, manes & tails on brown, bay and black horses. Helps prevent that washed out reddish-orange coat and brings out the essence in your horse s natural color. Balanced profile of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. Contains key amino acids lysine and methionine. B-vitamin package with high biotin and vitamin b6, copper and zinc. Paprika and kelp for a rich dark coat, mane and tail.Ingredients:Ground Extruded Soybeans, Stabilized Rice Bran, Stabilized Flax Seed, Dl-Methionine, Paprika, Kelp, Zinc Methionine, Copper Proteinate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B6) And Biotin.Size:  10 Pound

Weaver Leather Draft Horse Riding Bridle – Dark Chocolate – Regular Draft $75 Draft Horse Riding BridleThis 1 doubled and stitched dark chocolate skirting leather browband bridle features 7′ reins and a snaffle bitSingle-ply throat latchFeatures double cheek buckles and chicago screw bit endsNickel plated hardwareColor: Dark ChocolateSize:  Regular Draft

The Horse Show Coloring Book $7 By Pat Young, illustrated by Polly Carbonari. Read-along coloring books that teach kids about riding lessons and trail riding. 40 pages.

Abetta Latigo Curb Chain Dark Oil – Burgundy Latigo – Horse $4.8 Made Of 1/2 Heavy Saddle Leather W/ Bar Buckles And Double Chrome Steel Chain.Color: Burgundy LatigoSize:  Horse

Kelly Silver Star Fleece Lined Silver Hackamore – Assorted Light/Dark Oils – Horse $24.9 Flat hand engraved 7 cheeks with fleece lined noseband and chain curb strap. Chrome plated.Color: Assorted Light/Dark OilsSize:  Horse

Da Vinci Raised Running Attachment – Dark Brown – Horse $20.95 DaVinci ‘Quality and Workmanship Compares To Any’Superior fit, old world craftsmanship and Crafted from supple finestEngland leather and stainless steel hardware are the hall marks of DaVinci line bridlework and accessories. Discriminating riders appreciate the attention that distinguishes the broad range of DaVinci bridles, cavesons, reins, martingales, breastplates, girths and stirrup leathers.Features:Plain Raised Running BP AttachmentWhite StitchingSoft SuppleEngland LeatherStainless Steel Hardware13 to 14 Stitches per inch Simply the BestColor: Dark BrownSize:  Horse

Weaver Browband Bridle with Double Cheek Buckles/Curb Bit – Dark Chocolate – Horse $65 Constructed from dark chocolate skirting leather that looks great with darker saddles, this doubled and stitched 5/8 bridle features a single-ply throat latch and double cheek buckles. This bridle features 7′ chicago screw reins, an all leather curb strap, a 5 curb bit and chicago screw bit ends. Durable nickel plated hardware. Horse size.Color: Dark ChocolateSize:  Horse

Weaver Browband Bridle with Double Cheek Buckles/Snaffle Bit – Dark Chocolate – Horse $68 Constructed from dark chocolate skirting leather that looks great with darker saddles, this doubled and stitched 5/8 bridle features a single-ply throat latch and double cheek buckles. This bridle features 7′ chicago screw reins, an all leather curb strap, a snaffle bit and chicago screw bit ends. Durable nickel plated hardware. Horse size.Color: Dark ChocolateSize:  Horse

Rio Vista Horse Hi-Black Burgundy Shampoo $7.2 The Hi Black Burgundy Shampoo is a unique blend of carefully selected ingredients that highlight all dark coat colors. It gives the coat a lustrous sheen while depositing burgundy highlights, giving the coat a rich, wine color. To use, Rinse Horse Thoroughly to Remove Surface Dirt. With A Wet Sponge Or Wash Mitt, Evenly Distribute Rio Vista Hi-Black Burgundy Shampoo to Horse’s Coat. Work Up A Rich Lather, Starting On the Leg Area and then the Body. Do Not Apply to White Areas of the horse. Product contains the following: Deionized Water, Sodium Laureth Sulfate,Sodium Lauryl Sulfate,Cocamidopropyl,Betaine,Cocamide Dea, Glycerin, Aloe Vera Gel, Propylene Glycol, Panthenol, Chamomile Extract, Fragrance, Methylchloroisothiazolinone and Methylisothiazolinone, Color.

Horse Putty $4 Horse Putty. Assorted colors with horse inside.

Mountain Horse Venture Jacket – Dark Navy/White – X-Large $122 Finally, a jacket for your most strenuous riding activities – under all conditions!Features: Waterproof, windproof, breathableFully seam-sealedDetachable, adjustable hoodWaterproof two-way front zipperAdjustable drawstring at hemHead-set wire system to accommodate MP3 players and mobile phonesReflective detailingMultiple pocketsMaterial: 98% polyester, 2% spandexColor: Dark Navy/WhiteSize:  X-Large

Horse Banner $8.95 Canvas A Horse Is A Horse Banner. 7 1/2 x 22 1/2.

Rio Vista Horse Ravishing Red Shampoo $7.2 The Ravishing Red Shampoo is a unique blend of carefully selected ingredients that add red highlights to all coat colors. It also give the coat a lustrous sheen and brings out the rich, warm undertones in Bays and Dark Chestnut Colored Horses. To use, Rinse Horse Thoroughly to Remove Surface Dirt. With A Wet Sponge Or Wash Mitt, Evenly Distribute A Generous Amount of Rio Vista Ravishing Red Shampoo to Horses Coat, Tail and Mane. Work Up A Rich Lather and Allow to Remain On For 5 Min. Rinse Well. Product contains the following: Deionized Water, Sodium Laureth Sulfate,Sodium Lauryl Sulfate,Cocamidopropyl,Betaine,Cocamide Dea, Glycerin, Aloe Vera Gel, Propylene Glycol, Panthenol, Chamomile Extract, Fragrance, Methylchloroisothiazolinone and Methylisothiazolinone, Color.

Gripfit Palmyra Brush For Horse Grooming $6.7 The Gripfit Palmyra Brush is a Classic in all respects. It Works well wet or dry and is Perfect for brushing up after a dusty ride. It is made with Natural palmyra fiber. It has a Dark brown web strap. Size: 1 3/8 trim. 7 5/8 x 3 5/8 block.Size:  7 5/8 Inch x 3 5/8 inch

OPEN BOX ITEM: DaVinci Plain Raised Breastplate Martingale with Standing Attachment – Dark Brown – Horse $45 NOTE: Piece that goes over withers is cracked. DaVinci ‘Quality and Workmanship Compares To Any’Superior fit, old world craftsmanship and Crafted from supple finest English leather and stainless steel hardware are the hall marks of DaVinci line bridlework and accessories. Discriminating riders appreciate the attention that distinguishes the broad range of DaVinci bridles, cavesons, reins, martingales, breastplates, girths and stirrup leathers.Features:Plain Raised Breastplate with Standing AttachmentWhite StitchingSoft Supple English LeatherStainless Steel Hardware13 to 14 Stitches per inchSimply The BestColor: Dark BrownSize:  Horse

Horse Sponge $2.1 Adorable Horse Sponge. This is a great addition to your tack box or a cute gift for a horse loving friend!

Gift Corral Horse Chime $21.95 Horse Chime

Gift Corral Horse Toobs $11.95 Horse Toobs

Gift Corral Nightlight Horse $12.95 Nightlight Horse

Gift Corral Walk-A-Horse $6.95 Walk-A-Horse

Horse Blk Ornament $8 Horse Blk Ornament

Horse Xing Horse Caution Sign – Yellow $4.8 Horse Xing Horse Caution SignColor: Yellow

Horse Stickers $3 Horse stickers. 6 assorted sheets per card.

Himalayan Horse Scrubba Glove $2.7 Scrub Your Horse With One Side Or Massage Your Horse With The Other!

Soft Plush Horse Backpack $27 Soft Plush Horse Backpack.

Running Horse Tote $8.95 Canvas running horse tote

Gift Corral Horse Memo Pad $1.95 Horse Memo Pad

Gift Corral Horse Canister Set $28.95 Horse Canister Set

Gift Corral Horse Finger Puppets $68.95 Horse Finger Puppets

Gift Corral Plush Prancer Horse $13.95 Plush Prancer Horse

Gift Corral Plush Winnying Horse $6.95 Plush Winnying Horse

Gift Corral Welcome Sign/Horse $17.95 Welcome Sign/Horse

Gift Corral Plush Roundy Horse $20.95 Plush Roundy Horse

Gift Corral Plush Tubbie Horse $11.95 Plush Tubbie Horse

Gift Corral Horse 7 Black $5.95 Horse 7 Black

Gift Corral Horse 7 Buckskin $5.95 Horse 7 Buckskin

Gift Corral Horse 7 Pinto $5.95 Horse 7 Pinto

Gift Corral Horse Bathroom Set $22.95 Horse Bathroom Set

Gift Corral Sign Horse CroSSing $8.95 Sign Horse Crossing

Gift Corral Signs Horse 6Pk $28.95 Signs Horse 6Pk

Gift Corral Pen Holder Horse $5.95 Pen Holder Horse

Gift Corral Horse TiSSue Box $13.95 Horse Tissue Box

Gift Corral Horse Head Tote $11.95 Horse Head Tote

Gift Corral Mug Horse Stroll $5.95 Mug Horse Stroll

Gift Corral Thermometer Horse Training $11.95 Thermometer Horse Training

Gift Corral Plush Horse 10 $8.95 Plush Horse 10

Gift Corral Plush Horse 12 $10.95 Plush Horse 12

Gift Corral Horse Signs 3Pk $7.95 Horse Signs 3Pk

Gift Corral Plush Horse 5 $4.95 Plush Horse 5

Gift Corral Plush Horse Brownie $5.95 Plush Horse Brownie

Gift Corral Plush Horse Joey $5.95 Plush Horse Joey

Gift Corral Figurine Paint Horse $19.95 Figurine Paint Horse

The Age of Horse Culture: American Indian Horsemanship

Before I begin, I would like to thank Donovin Sprague Hump, Black Hills State University Instructor, author and historian. Descendent of Chief Hump and the Crazy Horse Family. Also, Dave Reynolds for helping me to research this area and also contributing some of the historical literature used for this research.

The Conquistadors passed an ordinance, soon after they arrived in the Americas, prohibiting any Indian from riding a horse. They encouraged the Indians to believe that the horses devoured human flesh. In 1582 Antonio Espejo was still telling the Indians “The horses were ferocious…”.  However, it did not take the Indians long to realize that being men, like the Spaniards, they could also ride.

As the ranches grew, the need for vaqueros, cow-workers, was filled by mounting the Indian serfs. Sante Fe became the most prominent place for distribution of the Spanish Mustang into the North American landscape and to the Native Tribes. In the beginning the Indians attained horses through raids on Spanish settlements in Sante Fe, El Paso and on the Rio Grande. They were also looting far in Chihuahua and Sonora in Northern Mexico. Although many tribes acquired horses, it was the tribes of the Plains that soon became the superb horseman and horse warriors that we hear so much about in history. The horse made them masters of the herds of buffalo that gave them food, shelter, bedding, tools, saddles, lariats and the core of their religion.

The beginning of the 17th century brought a new era for both the Native American and the white men, for this date marked the introduction of the horse into Indian culture. Within a hundred years the horse population had grown into the tens of thousands among the nations of the Comanche, Crow, Cheyenne, Sioux, Arapaho, Kiowa, Nez Perces, Pawnee and Blackfoot. It had become a measure of wealth, trade and class, the main means to hunt buffalo and a tactical instrument of war.

Riding at a full gallop with nothing more than a pelt cinched to the horses back they put to shame the generations of European horseman to follow in the West. The Indian and his Spanish Mustang were inseparable companions, sharing a deep sense of friendship and understanding that has not been equaled since.

Blackfoot warfare was not aimed at the acquisition of territory or other tribes extermination but the capturing of horses from enemy tribes. Many of the the Blackfoot raids were carried out by poor families who were trying to better their lot. These raiding parties offered the training ground for the young warrior. They would go without receiving any horses but being repaid by learning the art of horse stealing. The horse raiding parties were lead by experienced men who had lead men into enemy camps and captured goodly amounts of horses; returning home with few casualties.
Among the Comanche the horse added a new source of economic and political power, by controlling the access to the horse, a horse owner could control access to the buffalo hunt. The communal hunt of the pre-horse Comanche cultural gave way to the individual horse-mounted buffalo hunter. American observers among the Comanche, in the early 19th century, reported concentrations of horses numbering from 3,000 to 5,000, most with Spanish Brands. Successful warriors had from 50 to 200 horses each. In 1867 Labadi, an Indian agent reported 15,000 horses in Comanche camps on the Texas plains.

Among the Sioux the horse was more than a mere animal it was viewed as “medicine” with supernatural potency. Owning a horse gave a man personal medicine, in hunting and in war.  Over time the horse became their symbol of wealth and a medium of exchange. The man with the fastest horse could kill more buffalo and so assumed a position different from the less fortunate. The horse became the path to economic stability and social position. Large herds of horses were not easily acquired. Horses were not successfully bred, though attempts were made among the Sioux. The chief method by which stock was replenished was capturing wild horses or stealing them from other tribes.

The Crows raised horses, roped mustangs, rode magnificently and owned more horses than any other tribe on the Missouri. The Crow and the Blackfoot were constantly raiding each others horses.

The Nez Perces became known for their outstanding strain of Spanish Horses known as Appaloosas; the name coming from the Palouse River of western Idaho and eastern Washington. Lewis and Clark wrote “ they are pied with large spots of white irregularly scattered and intermixed with black, brown, bey or other dark color, but much the larger portion are of uniform color with stars, strips and white feet…”.  It is thought the Nez Perces were practicing selective breeding. Splotched horses occurred wherever Spanish Horses ran. Whether the Nex Perces began  raising them from a considerable collection of individuals or from only a pair or two is not known. Most of these horses were noted by Lewis and Clark to have Spanish brands. The Nez Perces were protected from raids by the mountains and this is what enabled them to do such breeding.

In John C. Cremony’s book “Life Among the Apaches”, written in 1868, he writes “…after a successful raid, in which they have captured many animals, and having selected the best for riding, retire to some remote fastness to feed upon the remainder so long as they last…”. This points up an important fact. That is, by this method they were doing selective breeding. Only keeping the horses that best suited their purposes and using the rest for survival. Since the Apaches were most likely the first Natives of North America, to obtain the horse, they used this process of selective breeding to foster the Spanish Mustangs qualities for endurance, speed, agility, and hardiness, the traits that their survival depended on. Although it may not have been a conscious decision its results obtained the same goals.

Good horses were more plentiful among the northern tribes, this was because the northern ranges are more conducive to growth in livestock. It was the reason, later, the Texas cattlemen moved their Longhorns to Wyoming and Montana to fill them out and add weight.

With the Acquisition of The Northwest Territory, the Northern Europeans of Eastern America began to move west and came in contact with the Plains Indians and their herds of Spanish Mustangs. As the 19th century closed, the horses of the plains Indians ceased to be straight out Spanish Blood as did many bands of wild horses. Taking horses where they could find them, the Indians of the Eastern Plains interbreed their stock with horses from the English-speaking Americans. J.Frank Dobie said “These horses were patriotically called “American”. They were not a breed, they were no more fixed in type than American dogs; they were bigger than the Spanish-Indian-Western Horse. To the majority of American patriots, bigness had become a synonym for superiority.”

The Age of Horse Culture lasted from the 17th century to the end of the 1800s. The Spanish Mustang reshaped the lives and culture of the Native Americans of the plains and they infused the history of the West with some of the most daring and courageous horsemanship ever known. Sadly, there is not enough recorded information of this period. Many of the Artist of the period were not very good at anatomy and did not depict the Indian horse accurately. The Native American had an oral history and when the wonder of photography came to the Plains the photographers seemed to disregard the horse as part of the Indian culture and society and instead concentrated on portraits of Indians in their regalia. We rely mostly on European accounts of what was seen or told to them by different tribes they encountered. The Native American and the Spanish Mustang were made for each other, they both had extreme desires for independence and survival and a love of the vast country that nurtured them.

About the Author

I live on a twenty acre ranch in the Black Hills of South Dakota. I have two Spanish Mustang horses and a cat. I put work as a photographer and illustrator up at stock photo sites and manage SpanishMustangworld.com and a radio show at www.talkshoe.com/tc/28533 about Spanish Mustang Horses. I also help at healthyandliving.org to write articles about natural grass fed beef and community supported ranching.