How did the Choctaw get their name?

Is the Choctaw Indian Horse Close to extinction?

The historical record for the Choctaw Indian horses is extensive and more details are known for this strain than for many other strains of Colonial Spanish horse. But, they are surviving by a thin thread…perilously close to extinction. Meet the Choctaw herd that calls Return to Freedom home…

How did the Choctaw Pony get its name?

Meet the Choctaw herd that calls Return to Freedom home… To understand the spirit of the Choctaw pony, one must first appreciate the people of the Choctaw Nation, from which this hardy little horse gets its name.

How many Choctaw horses are there?

Overall, Colonial Spanish horses of all bloodlines number about 3,000, while the total number of pure Choctaw horses is only about 250 animals. The surviving Colonial Spanish Choctaw horses, however, are proven to be direct descendants of horses brought to the New World in the 1500s by the Spanish Conquistadors.

Where did Choctaws come from?

The Choctaws are original people of the American southeast, particularly Mississippi, Alabama, Louisiana, and Florida. Most Choctaws were forced to move to Oklahoma in the 1800’s along the Trail of Tears.

Where did the Choctaw ponies travel to?

Also in 2005, a band of seven mares and a stallion travelled from Blackjack Mountain, Oklahoma, to Fusco’s Red Road Farm in Vermont. This band of 100% pure tribal-line Choctaw ponies carried diverse and unique color genetics at risk of being lost forever. In 2008, the ponies traveled to Return to Freedom Wild Horse Sanctuary in California.

What is the Choctaw conservation program?

We participate in the Choctaw Conservation program, perpetuating the bloodlines of the rare and endangered pure Choctaw Horse. The Spanish Mustang is the Heritage Horse of America. Brought to these shores by the early Spanish explorers, this is the foundation blood of all horses of American origin.

What is a Choctaw Indian pony?

The little “valuable” horse is known officially as the Choctaw Indian Pony and its history is forever embedded with the culture, spirituality, and heritage of the Choctaw Indian Nation, one of the first major non-European ethnic groups to become U.S. citizens.

What happened to the Choctaw horses after the trail of Tears?

Direct descendants of the Choctaw horses who arrived with Hernando DeSoto in the 1500s were integrated into tribal cultures and even after The Trail of Tears, those who remained continued to freely roam on Blackjack Mountain in Oklahoma until 2007.

Where did Chickasaw horses come from?

This included the Chickasaw horse, which was a breed developed by Native American people from horses descended from Spain, developed from Iberian, Arabian and Barb stock brought to what is now the Southeastern United States by the Conquistadors.

What is the origin of the western ranch horse?

Another early foundation sire for the breed was Copperbottom, foaled in 1828, who tracks his lineage through the Byerley Turk, a foundation sire of the Thoroughbred horse breed. The main duty of the ranch horse in the American West was working cattle.

What are Choctaw and Cherokee horses?

Choctaw and Cherokee horses represent two unique strains of Colonial Spanish horses. The Rickman herd also includes the Gilbert Jones line of Colonial Spanish horses. The Choctaw and Cherokee horses are known for their mild temperaments and the Gilbert Jones line has made its mark as long-distance endurance horses.

What did the Choctaw get from the Spanish?

In the ensuing struggles, the brave and noble Choctaw managed to retain their rightful land and avoid enslavement—and they acquired a few of the Spaniards “spirit dogs,” as well. In addition to horses, the Spanish also introduced cattle, goats, sheep and hogs to the native population.

What did the Choctaw tribe live in?

The Choctaw signed the Treaty of Dancing Rabbit Creek in 1830, and it was ratified by Congress on February 24, 1831. Although the Choctaw had permanent homes, most lived on their farming production, and many had adopted the white style of dress. They were the first to be removed to Indian Territory (present-day Oklahoma).

Where did the Choctaw horse come from?

The surviving Colonial Spanish Choctaw horses, however, are proven to be direct descendants of horses brought to the New World in the 1500s by the Spanish Conquistadors.

What animals did the Spanish bring to the Choctaw?

In addition to horses, the Spanish also introduced cattle, goats, sheep and hogs to the native population. The Choctaw soon became adept at raising livestock, and the “spirit dogs” quickly became an integral part of the Choctaw culture.

Are the Chickasaw and Choctaw the same tribe?

The Choctaw are of the Western Muskogean language stock, which is also the same stock as the Chickasaw. When first encountered by Europeans, the Choctaw were located in three geographic divisions in the area that is now Mississippi and western Alabama.

Where did the Choctaw ponies live?

In common with most wild horses, Choctaw ponies had no specific place to call home, but given its natural affiliation for humans and its calm and gentle disposition, they followed the Choctaw tribe wherever it went — often without fences — for more than 500 years.

What kind of horses did the Choctaw tribe have?

By the turn of the century, the handful of Choctaw horses remaining sported long Spanish manes and came in a variety of colors: line-backed dun, varnish roan, blacks and bays and leopards among them.

What is the Choctaw Indian horse conservation program?

Along with insuring their survival, the Choctaw Indian Horse Conservation Program’s goals include: Also in 2005, a band of seven mares and a stallion travelled from Blackjack Mountain, Oklahoma, to Fusco’s Red Road Farm in Vermont.

How many Choctaw ponies are there?

Less than 250 Choctaw ponies exist today. His sire is Iktinike, a foundation Choctaw stallion owned by Dr. Phillip Sponenberg, DVM. Luksi is a half brother to our Minko and Little Creek. His Choctaw name, Luksi means turtle. He is very colorfully marked, as a painted turtle is.

Are Choctaw horses colonial Spanish horses?

“Colonial Spanish Horses are of great historic importance and are one of only a very few genetically unique horse breeds worldwide. Choctaw horses are one of a handful of distinct Native American tribal strains of Colonial Spanish Horse that are surviving by a thin thread,” he explains.

How did the Choctaw use horses to survive?

The Choctaw were quite dependent on the little horse, having carefully bred them for hunting parties that could endure long distances. The horses had unusually strong, hard hooves that were able to withstand the unforgiving rock over which they ran, but it would not be enough to outrun the deadly threats the animals faced.

How many Cherokee took the trail of Tears?

Principal Chief John Ross with the final Cherokee Nation detachment of about 228 took the water route commemorated by the Trail of Tears National Historic Trail—along the Tennessee, Ohio, Mississippi, and Arkansas rivers.

How did the trail of Tears get its name?

The “Trail of Tears”quotation was picked up by the eastern press and widely quoted. It soon became a term analogous with the removal of any Indian tribe and was later burned into the American language by the brutal removal of the Cherokees in 1838.

What is a Chickasaw horse?

These smooth-gaited horses were called “Chickasaws.” Similar smooth-gaited horses in Georgia, Alabama, and Florida were called “Seminole ponies” or “prairie ponies.” One Colonial trader noted that the Eastern Forest Horse was “different” from European breeds.

Why were there so many horses in the woodlands?

There were so many horses in the American Southeastern Woodlands that American historians were initially inclined to think that they were strays from expeditions by Ponce de Leon (1513) and Hernando De Soto (1540-45). However, most early Spanish explorers brought heavy mounts that were not of much interest to the Indians.