## Christopher Columbus, the Spanish and horses

-   The horse evolved over three to four million years ago, but
    disappeared from North and South America about 10,000 years ago.

-   Although the horse originated on the North American continent, it
    did not survive prehistoric times. Horses were re-introduced to the
    Americas in the 1500s by the Spaniards.

-   Columbus made four voyages. On his second trip that began in
    September 1493, he brought horses with him. The purpose of this trip
    was to establish colonies for Spain, to find riches and to check on
    men he left behind during his first trip, which was in 1492.

-   Horses were carried in the Nina, a ship known as a "caravel." This
    ship was easier to control in shallower water and sailed more easily
    in difficult waters.

-   Columbus did not actually land on the North American continent the
    second trip. He went from the Canary Islands to Dominica; discovered
    the Leeward Island, the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico; reaching
    Hispaniola; founded La Isabela; and landed at Cuba and Jamaica.

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   Horses were placed in slings when they were carried on ships in
    order to take the weight off their feet and keep them from slipping
    in rough seas. They were confined to damp, dark holds and had little
    or no exercise. Many were lost during the voyages.

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   So many horses died enroute to America, one section of the Atlantic
    Ocean became know as the Horse Latitudes because dead horses were
    thrown overboard during rough voyages.

-   The typical way to unload a horse which survived a voyage was to
    blindfold it and hoist it from below deck.

-   In some cases, horses were lowered to the water and then swam
    ashore, being led by men in small boats.

-   The re-introduction of horses into what we now know as the United
    States began with Cortez who brought 16 horses to Mexico in 1519.
    Indians had not seen horses, and many saw the horse and rider as one
    animal.

-   Cortez was quoted as saying, "Next to God, we owe our victory to our
    horses." The Indians submitted to the conquistadors and these
    fearful equines.

-   Spain's colonization depended heavily on horses. Coronado was
    reported to have 150 horsemen in 1519, and Desoto had 237 horses in
    his 1539 venture. The first governor of New Spain (Mexico) was said
    to have more than 1,500 horses.

-   Indians were forbidden by the Spanish conquerors to ride horses.
    However, by 1680, many Indians had acquired horses and were riding
    them.

-   "Mustang" is a word derived from the Spanish language. "Mesteno" was
    a stray or ownerless horse.

-   The horse transformed the New World, changing the lives of the
    indigenous people who were now able to travel great distances and be
    more efficient hunters from astride a horse.

During his second journey, Columbus was in command of 17 ships, 1,200
men and boys. His ships carried horses, cows, pigs and chickens.
Although this 1493 trip did not result in horses spreading across North
America, other Spanish explorers like Cortez did bring horses that
eventually spread throughout the West.

Sources for the Columbus Day information:

Moorhead, Carol Ann*. The Wonder Series: Wild Horses*. Denver, Colo.:
Roberts

Rinehart Publishers: 1994.

*[www.evschool.org/Columbus](http://www.evschool.org/Columbus).*

[*www.imh.org/imh/kyhpl2b*](http://www.imh.org/imh/kyhpl2b)

[*www.imh.org/imh/bw/mustang*](http://www.imh.org/imh/bw/mustang)

[*www.mariner.org/age/secondvoyage*](http://www.mariner.org/age/secondvoyage)