Mustang

The Mustang is a free-roaming horse of the western United States descended from horses brought to the Americas by Spanish explorers and settlers.

The Mustang is a free-roaming horse of the western United States descended from domesticated horses brought to North America by Spanish explorers and settlers. Because its ancestors were domesticated, the Mustang is generally classified as a feral horse rather than a truly wild horse. The term is also used more broadly for free-roaming horses in North America, and free-roaming mustang populations in the United States are managed and protected by the Bureau of Land Management.

Origin and history

Mustangs trace their origins to horses brought to North America by Spanish explorers and settlers. Over time, escaped and released horses established free-roaming populations across the western United States. Modern mustangs show mixed ancestry from multiple horse breeds, not only the original Colonial Spanish horses.

Classification and terminology

Mustangs are often referred to as wild horses, but in scientific and historical terms they are classified as feral horses because they descend from domesticated stock. The name 'mustang' is associated with Spanish terms for stray or wild animals.

Physical traits

Breed descriptions commonly characterize mustangs as medium-sized, sturdy horses with strong hooves and substantial variation in coat color and body type. Reported measurements vary by population, but many sources place them around 14 to 15 hands tall and about 800 pounds.

Management and conservation

In the United States, free-roaming mustangs are subject to federal management, with populations on public lands overseen by the Bureau of Land Management. This management has made the mustang a well-known symbol of the American West.