THE ARRIVAL OF THE HORSE

AROUND 1600 A.D. THE HORSE WAS BROUGHT HERE FROM SPAIN AND CHANGED ALL THE PEOPLE'S LIVES. SPANISH INVADERS RODE THEIR HORSES NORTH FROM MEXICO BROUGHT THEM INTO THE SOUTHWEST. THE INDIANS SAW THIS ADVANTAGE OF HAVING HORSES AND BEGAN TO TRADE FOR THEM TO EASTERN AND NORTHERN TRIBES AND THEY BECAME POPULAR AROUND THERE RESERVATIONS.

SINCE HORSES WERE SO VALUED THEY WERE A WEALTH SYMBOL. THEY BEGAN BREEDING NEW HORSES TO DEVELOP STRONGER ANIMALS. THE SPANISH HORSE EVOLVED INTO A SMALL INDIAN PONY WITH A SHAGGY COAT. THIS HORSE SURVIVED ON THE WILD GRASSES OF THE PLAINS VS. A RICH MIXTURE OF A LARGER HORSE. THE INDIAN PONY WAS SMARTER AND MORE FAST THAN THE SPANISH HORSE. IT WAS STRONGER AS WELL AND CARRIED LONGER TIPI POLES. THE INDIAN WORD FOR PONY WAS "LARGE DOG". IT BECAME TO BE IMPORTANT TO THEM IN A SPIRITUAL SENSE. IT MOVED WITH THE INDIAN AS ONE AND THEY FOUGHT OFF WARRING TRIBES WITH THEIR HORSES. HE DID NOT SHARE IT WITH ANYONE. HE PAINTED HIMSELF AS WELL AS HIS HORSE BEFORE A BATTLE.

THE MEDICINE THE INDIAN USED WASN'T SOMETHING THEY TOOK TO CURE A HEADACHE. IT WAS MORE OF A SPIRITUAL POWER THEY HAD THAN PILL, IT WAS SOMETHING THEY RECEIVED FROM NATURE. THIS POWER COULD BE ASSOCIATED WITH A SPECIAL ANIMAL OR NATURAL OBJECT.

WHEN A PERSON HAS A VISION AN EXPERIENCE OF THE MIND OR SOUL THEY ARE USUALLY IN A DREAM STATE AND MAY HAVE FASTED FOR SEVERAL DAYS. SOMETIME THE FORM OF AN ANIMAL MAY BE PART OF THE SUPERNATURAL EXPERIENCE. SOMETIMES THE FORM OF AN ANIMAL MAY APPEAR. A PERSON WHO RECEIVES A RARE VISION KNOWS THAT IT IS A RARE GIFT.




HOWARD EGGER