Indian Horse Art

" Broken Silence "

Indian Horse Art:

What is it that has inspired us about the plains horse of the Native American Indian.

These horses that were captured by different tribes through-out  North America by the white settlers. Enabled the Plains Indian to become plains travelers. Moving their homes more often.

The Indians became very proficient in riding the horse, and devised their own ways of breaking the horse in, making different tack for the horse and even having their own breeding programs.

The horse became a status symbol to the Indians as well, the more horses you owned the more important you were in your tribe. Raiding parties were frequent between tribes, stealing horses form neighboring tribes as bounty.  As well as stealing horses from raids with the white settlers, and from the wild as well.

The Native Indian horse found their own identity, with their different color of feathers and war paint that was put on the horses of their different owners, symbols of war and importance, these marks would tell tribes of their and their owners history in battle and courage.

Artists right back in the western era, Indian horse art captured the horse along with their Indian owners culture and trade mark of what made the native Indian a warrior in their own right.

Becoming some of the best horse men in history, the Indian rider could ride at full gallop firing their bow and arrow in hunts and war.

Truly, with the war paint and war cries of their owners in battle, to the subdued horse standing quietly amongst the tepees of their native owners, they formed their own legend.

Different tribes like the Apache, wore head bands on their heads with their long hair free, to other tribes with their hair tied in plats, all this contributed to the intricate tapestry of how the horse was also decorated.

In the early stages, the American Indian tied a piece of rope in their horses mouth, able to control them with just on reign. I would like to know how they did this so skillfully. Being a horse woman myself, I could only think that leaning to one side of the horse would change the horses direction.

Howard Terpning's Test of Courage

The common trait, as we have seen with so many horses of the plains, is where the Indians would drape a rug over the horses back. Mainly riding bare back, yet they did also make up their own design of saddle that as also used. When horses were stolen in battle or raids where they still had their bridle and saddle on, these were also adopted, yet the Indian more often than not, as their trade-mark, would still drape over an Indian designed rug on the saddles.

Indian horse art has fascinated onlookers of western art from the beginning. Along with the native American Indian that has been captured in art, the horse is in many times beside them. The brilliant colors almost jump out of the paintings, the ease of how the Indian rode their horses are shown in the bronze sculptures of Indian horse art that have been captured by the sculptors hand thought-out the years.

Artists like the famous Fredric Remington who was around in the 18th and 19th centaury, painted as well as sculpted. His works which he did during his time, have been replicated, even now. And stand in many of the most prominent official offices in the states in America.

Is it the wild edge that that gives a sense of excitement? freedom that we can emphasize with the horse of the American Indian.

I think in myself, if you stop and think... yes, the freedom, the Indian in their loin-skins and musicians have inspired the wild side of action and freedom, that draws the artist to want to paint and sculpt Indian horse art and their owners that rode them.

Even the sight of a lone Indian horse standing quietly, all painted up, with the feathers tied in their mains or on their bridle, just blowing in the wind. The rug that sits across their horses backs, with intricate native design, draws our eyes in interest.

I know this is what it is like for me, as you can see with my own bronze that I did at the top of this page, and I am sure. Talking to other artists, that they would feel in many ways the same.

I am going to seek out the art of the native American horse, as I think we all deserve to celebrate their brilliance and what they mean to us. I think it would be nice to be able to pick and choose some of their work here. I think this is a great idea.... I am excited about it myself, as I love this subject myself.

So keep looking back at this page, as I find the art.

 Also if you are an artist that features the west and the Indian horse, lets hear from you so we can share your work with everyone here.

Art by Frederic Remington:

A "Cayuse" by Frederic Remington