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A mustang is a small, hardy, naturalized (feral) horse of the North American west. Because of their hardiness, grace, speed, and independence, the name "Mustang" is popular for high-performance products and for sports mascots. For additional information on these derivations, see Mustang. The English word mustang comes from the Mexican Spanish word mestengo, itself derived from the Spanish mesteño, meaning cattle raised under the extensive system of the Mesta and strayed. The earliest mustangs descended from Spanish horses brought to Mexico in the 1500s. Some of these horses escaped or were captured by Native Americans, and they quickly spread throughout western North America. Starting in the mid 1800s horses belonging to white settlers that escaped or were purposefully released added to the gene pool. Many ranchers would release their horses to forage for themselves in the winter and then recapture them or other mustangs when they were needed again in the spring. Some ranchers improved the local herds by shooting the dominant stallions and replacing them with imported stock. These improvements were especially useful in arid areas where the herds would become isolated and inbred during periods of drought. The earliest mustangs descended from Spanish horses brought to Mexico in the 1500s. Some of these horses escaped or were captured by Native Americans, and they quickly spread throughout western North America. Starting in the mid 1800s horses belonging to white settlers that escaped or were purposefully released added to the gene pool. |
