Naturalist Hope Ryden's stunning photographs accompany clear, conversational essays telling of her observations and experiences as she tracked the mustangs of the West. Wild horses evolved and roamed in North America until becoming extinct ten thousand years ago. Not until the early sixteenth century, when the conquistadors brought tough mounts to carry them as they explore what is now Mexico and the Southwest, did the horse reappear on American soil. Hope Ryden describes how the Plains Indians adopted the horse, which transformed their culture. But many of their horses escaped into the wild and reverted to primitive behaviors-such as forming tight-knit social groups with complicated social hierarchies-that enabled them to thrive and survive. Horse lovers and history buffs, as well as all who relish a good true-life adventure, will be fascinated and moved by this compelling portrait of a national treasure. Bibliography. - from Amzon