“A compelling, concisely written, beautifully illustrated, important read for any horse or history enthusiast.”
-Shelley Paulson, author of Horses: Portraits & Stories

"Thoroughly engrossing…ambitious…A fun and fascinating read.”
-The Prairies Book Review

“A rare blend of social and biological history…Well-written and well-researched, this volume fills a key niche in the science, politics, and literature of the horse.”
-Chad Hanson, PhD, president of the Wyoming Mustang Institute and author of Trout Streams of the Heart

Weapon. Legend. Energy source. Shaper of cultures. Center of controversy. 

Throughout U.S. history, the horse has served as one of the most powerful influences on the country’s development.

Beginning fifty-five million years ago with the evolution of the horse across the Great Plains, this story charts its extinction in North America, followed by its reintroduction to the continent by the Spanish. The eventual acquisition of Spanish horses by the native peoples of the plains had profound consequences for the continent’s future: it resulted in the explosion of wild horses across the West and unleashed some of the most talented and brutal mounted warriors in the world, the Comanche, who staved off European-American development of the plains for nearly two centuries. From there, the story tracks the horse’s incredible contributions—through warring and racing and hauling, through companionship and servitude and strength—across the broad arc of the country’s next three hundred years.

Soplop employs the horse as a narrative thread not only to bind seemingly disparate events, but also to allow for the inclusion of figures often written out of traditional histories: women and minorities. Through a modern, unconventional lens, she skillfully weaves together science, policy, literature, and history to trace the fascinating story of how one animal shaped the nation. Captivating pen and ink illustrations by Montana artist Robert Spannring, interspersed with Soplop’s stunning photography, add further depth to the account.

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Available in paperback and Kindle editions.

Please contact Julia Soplop for wholesale inquires.

Visit illustrator Robert Spannring’s website here.