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WILD HORSES 1 444 MEANING CLUSTERS Speed learning format by Carl Peterson Copyright 2005. Horses once lived in North America. They became extinct 10,000 years ago. Horses survived in Europe and Asia. When the Spanish arrived they brought horses with them. They reintroduced them in the 16th century. Escaped horses became known as “mustangs." In Spanish “mesteno" means wild. They are also called feral horses. Mustangs lived in vast herds. Plains Indians once hunted on foot The horse changed that within a generation.

INDEX Animal Phrases 15 1. Wild Horses 1 444 2. Wild Horses 1 3. Wild Horses 2 4. Wild Horses 3 5. Wild Horses 2 444 They became mounted hunters and warriors. Wild horses shaped the American West.

WILD HORSES 1 Meaning Clusters The modern horse, lived in North America but became extinct by the end of the Pleistocene epoch 10,000 years ago. Horses survived in Europe and Asia. The Spanish reintroduced the horse to North America in the 16th century. Escaped horses became known as “mustangs." In Spanish, “mesteno" means wild. They are also called feral horses since they were once domesticated. From 1600 to 1850, mustangs lived in vast herds on the Great Plains. Plains Indians hunted on foot before the horse. Within a generation they became mounted hunters and warriors. Early horses played an important role in the exploration and settlement of the United States.

MEMORY TRIGGERS extinct_____________________________ ___________________________________ Horses_____________________________ ___________________________________ Spanish____________________________ ___________________________________ Escaped____________________________ ___________________________________ “mesteno”__________________________ ___________________________________ feral_______________________________ ___________________________________ mustangs___________________________ ___________________________________ Indians_____________________________ ___________________________________ mounted____________________________ __________________________________________ Text from National Park Service Speed Learning format by Carl Peterson ©2005

WILD HORSES 2 Meaning Clusters Wild horses shaped the cultural history, art and folklore of the American West. Cattlemen saw wild horses as nuisances and killed many of them. In the 1950s and 1960s, efforts were made to protect wild horses. The Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act protected these animals as a “national heritage species". Wild horses live in small bands of 5 to 15. a dominant stallion, his mares, and their offspring Each such group has an established social order. Often another stallion will “run second” to the leader. When moving as a group a dominant mare takes the lead, with the stallion running behind.

MEMORY TRIGGERS folklore_____________________________ ___________________________________ Cattlemen__________________________ ___________________________________ protect_____________________________ ___________________________________ national____________________________ ___________________________________ bands______________________________ ___________________________________ dominant___________________________ ___________________________________ stallion_____________________________ ___________________________________ mare_______________________________ ___________________________________ Text from National Park Service Speed Learning format by Carl Peterson ©2005

WILD HORSES 3 Meaning Clusters Stallions herd their mares reaching their heads low to the ground in an action known as “snaking.” Young stallions roam together in “bachelor” groups, sometimes near a stallion harem. Rival males may fight when bachelor stallions try to steal mares from an established group. At age 2 or 3 young colts and fillies are driven from their natal group and form new bands. Once formed, these groups remain stable and often roam within specific areas. Foals are born in the spring after an 11 month gestation period. This is the only time stallions tolerate a mature mare leaving the group.

MEMORY TRIGGERS Stallions____________________________ ___________________________________ “bachelor”__________________________ ___________________________________ Rival_______________________________ ___________________________________ steal_______________________________ ___________________________________ fillies_______________________________ ___________________________________ stable______________________________ ___________________________________ Foals_______________________________ ___________________________________ mare_______________________________ ___________________________________ Text from National Park Service Speed Learning format by Carl Peterson ©2005

WILD HORSES 2 444 MEANING CLUSTERS Speed learning format by Carl Peterson Copyright 2005. Cattlemen killed many wild horses. Efforts were made to protect them. They are preserved as a “national heritage species". Wild horses live in small bands. A dominant stallion controls the group. The group includes mares and their young Another stallion “runs second”. They move as a group. A dominant mare takes the lead. The stallion runs behind. Stallions use “snaking” to herd their mares.

They reach their heads low to the ground. Young stallions roam in “bachelor” groups. Bachelor stallions try to steal mares. Rival males may fight. Young colts and fillies form new bands. These groups remain stable once formed. Foals are born in the spring.