Spanish Mustangs

The Spanish Mustang (Spanish Barb) was brought to this country by the Spanish in 1520, and it became later the original horse of the Plains Indian, in particular of the Blackfeet people. They obtained this horse in about 1750. Obtaining horses completely changed their lives. The Blackfeet became a mobile society, and new ceremonial and social practices began. In the years after 1880 these horses slowly disappeared due to various reasons and were replaced with larger breeds. They were reintroduced to the Blackfeet Reservation through the efforts of Darrell Norman and his friend Robert Berdard here at the Lodgepole Gallery & Tipi Village after 100 years of absence.

Seeing a small herd of Spanish Mustangs and learning about this unique breed of horses is part of the cultural experience you will have here in our tipicamp during your vacation.

Spend time with purebred Spanish Mustangs (the original Indian horse). Learn how this amazing species was brought back from the brink of extinction and how the Lodgepole Gallery helped to reintroduce these horses to the Blackfeet people in 1994.