Six Indian Horses: Mustangs

1. Mustangs are wild or feral horses that have descended from Spanish stock.
2. Their name comes from the Mexican word mestengo meaning  stray animal.
3. These sure-footed horses have low tails and they come in a wide variety of colors.
4. Mustangs are known for their endurance.
5. Because of their harsh living conditions they are often smaller than other breeds.
6. Free-roaming herds are protected by the Bureau of Land Management, which rounds up excess horses for adoption by private owners.

Six Indian Horses: Palominos

1. The beautiful Palomino has a golden coat with a white mane and tail.
2. They are not a genetic breed.  The term Palomino refers to their distinctive color.
3. Their coats range from cream to a dark golden yellow.
4. Palominos generally have brown eyes.
5. The TV star Mr. Ed was a Palomino horse.
6. But Roy Roger’s buddy Trigger may be more famous!

“A crooked tree

will never straighten its branches.”

Paul Revere and the Raiders: Indian Nation (Cherokee People)

John D. Loudermill

They took the whole Cherokee nation,
Put us on this reservation.
Took away our ways of life,
The tomahawk, and the bow, and knife.
Took away our native tongue
And taught their English to our young.
And all the beads we made by hand
Are nowadays made in Japan.

Cherokee people, Cherokee tribe,
So proud to live, so proud to die.

They took the whole Indian Nation
Locked us on this reservation.
Though I wear a shirt and tie
I’m still part redman deep inside.

Cherokee people, Cherokee tribe,
So proud to live, so proud to die.

But maybe someday when they learn –
Cherokee nation will return, will return,
will return, will return, will return . . .

Rick Rogan’s excellent illustrated version:

It’s a great day to run.  Let’s go!

The James-Younger Gang

• The James-Younger Gang is probably the most famous of all the outlaw bands.
• Originating out of a Missouri bush-whacking background during the American Civil War, these desperados turned to crime between 1860 – 1882.
• They later expanded into Kentucky, Iowa, Texas, Arkansas, West Virginia, and Kansas.
• They are credited with the first ever daylight, peace-time, armed robbery of a U.S. bank.
• The gang had two core families: The James Brothers (Jesse and Frank) and the Younger Brothers (Cole, Jim, John, and Bob).
• Other brothers came and went, including the Fords (Robert and Charles), McDaniels (William and Tom), Pences (Bud and Donny), Shepards (George and Oliver), and the Wilkersons (Bill and James).
• At various times the gang was also said to contain Thomas Coleman, John Jarrett, Arthur McCoy, Jacob Gregg, Joab Perry, Hobbs Kerry, Jim Anderson, Matthew Nelson, Archie Clement, Allen Parmer, Charles Taylor, Clell Miller, Charlie Pitts, Bill Chadwell, Ben Cooper, and Red Munkers / Munkirs.
• The James and Younger Brothers were excellent horsemen who traded and raced thoroughbreds.
• Although they killed a numbers of people on raids, they were well-educated and could pass as gentlemen.
• The gang gained notoriety for robbing stagecoaches, trains, and banks.
• The Pinkerton Detective Agency was eventually hired to track down the outlaws, but they evaded capture with the support of family and friends.
• A huge reward was offered in the hope that one of their own members would betray the infamous leaders.
• Robert Ford succumbed.  Ford shot Jesse James in the back of the head, in his own home, while he was straightening a picture on the wall.  This murder signaled the end of the James-Younger Gang.

Sources:

Legends Of America, “The James-Younger Gang: Terrorism In The Heartland,” at  http://www.legendsofamerica.com/we-jamesyoungergang.html

HistoryNet, “James-Younger Gang,” at http://www.historynet.com/james-younger-gang

Rosa, Joseph, G. Age of the Gunfighter: Man and Weapons on the Frontier, 1840-1900. Oklahoma: U of Oklahoma P, 1995.

Wikipedia, “James-Younger Gang,” at  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James%E2%80%93Younger_Gang

Hard Tack

Ingredients

Bacon grease for cooking

2 cups flour

1 tablespoon salt

Water (to form a stiff dough)

Method

1. Mix the four and salt together in a large pot.
2. Add enough water to form a stiff, non-sticky dough.
3. Roll out on a  floured surface into a 1/2-inch slab and cut into 3-inch squares.
4. Punch several nail-holes in each piece to allow the steam to escape during cooking.
5. Grease a fire-proof baking pan or Dutch-oven and place it on the fire.
6. Add hard tack pieces and cover with a lid.
7. Bake until brown.

“Never pack a six-gun with six pills in the wheel.

If you can’t do the job with five shots –

it’s time to get the hell out of there!”

• Bareback riding is often associated with the early Native Americans, particularly the Comanche, Plains Indians, and the Nez Perce tribes.
• Riding without a formal saddle requires a great deal of practice, skill, balance, coordination, and courage.
• Native riders traditionally learn to leap astride their animals from the ground, but a mounting block or fence rail can also be used.
• In warfare, horses were often used as shields.  Riders lay protected along the outside of their horses and practiced firing weapons as they rode into battle.
• The horse’s mane could be held for balance.
• Before the arrival of the European saddle, riders controlled their horses with a simple war bridle made from hide.  This was looped over the lower jaw of the horse and extended into either a single or double rein.
• Bareback riding is more tiring for both horse and rider because there is no support from a saddle.
• Riders are required to sit further forward in order to maintain control without excessive gripping.  They ride core-high, with straight legs and their heels flexed downward.
• Blankets or pads can be used to provide more comfort, but these often slip.
• It is warmer to ride bareback in winter.
• Many equestrians like bareback riding because they believe it creates a closer bond with their horse.

Do you ride English or Western?
What is the difference?

English Riding:

• English riding came from the British military tradition.  The saddle – featuring a knee-roll – is smaller and lighter than the Western version, allowing more direct contact with the horse’s back.

• The rider uses the reins, seat, and legs to control the horse’s speed and direction, and has more direct contact with its mouth.
• The rider takes a rein in each hand.
• The stirrups are thinner than on a Western saddle.
• Riders wear formal clothing – a fitter jacket, shirt, jodhpurs, tall boots, and a helmet.
• The English saddle is suited to dressage, polo, hunting, and jumping activities.
• Some skill is needed to ride English, because it is more difficult for riders to maintain their balance in these smaller saddles.