When the Spanish came to the New World in the 1500s, the horses they brought with them were returning to the land of their ancestors. The last of the prehistoric North American horses died out more than 10,000 years ago, but not before many of these animals crossed the Bering Strait land bridge that once connected Alaska to Siberia. Horses eventually populated Asia, China, northern Africa, Europe, and the Middle East.
![Sacred Dogs](https://magarticles.magzter.com/articles/11354/243210/59c569fcd7273/Sacred-Dogs.jpg)
Native Americans were initially terrified of the horses the Spanish brought to their land. The horse and rider appeared to be some type of mythical or God-like being with two heads and six legs, “a monster that could uncouple itself into two parts.” With their horses and guns—sticks that spit fire—the Spanish easily asserted control over the native people and forced them into slavery. Native Americans learned to care for, train, and breed horses while working as slaves for the Spanish. They also learned to make saddles and bridles, but it was against the law for them to own or ride horses. Horses represented power, and the Spanish wanted to keep that power for themselves. Some Spaniards broke the law and secretly sold horses to members of groups such as the Apache.
Native American ownership of horses did not become widespread until after 1680, when the Pueblos successfully revolted against the Spanish. The Spanish fled so quickly that they left thousands of horses behind. The Pueblos began breeding, selling, and trading horses, and within 100 years, horse ownership was common among tribes throughout the Southwest and the plains.
Some natives captured horses that had escaped from the Spanish and bred in the wild in New Mexico and Texas. They were very fast and difficult to catch and train, so most were left to run wild. By 1800, there were more than one million of these horses in North America.
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der October 2017-Ausgabe von Faces - The Magazine of People, Places and Cultures for Kids.
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Diese Geschichte stammt aus der October 2017-Ausgabe von Faces - The Magazine of People, Places and Cultures for Kids.
Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.
Bereits Abonnent? Anmelden
![Animal Central](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/11354/573579/601250703a3d3/crp_Conservationism-Tapirus-bairdii-Belize-Pharomachrus-mocinno-Guatemala-Panthera-once-Nicaragua-Atelopus-zeteki-Panama-National-animals-of-Central-America.jpg)
Animal Central
From golden frogs to big cats to colorful birds, the national animals of Central America represent the geography and cultures of the region. For a quick sampling of creatures plain and beautiful, common and rare, read on.
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31 Countries Biosphere
The Trifinio Fraternidad Biosphere Reserve is located at a spot where El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras converge. A biosphere is the layer of planet Earth where life exists.
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THE LEGEND OF THE QUETZAL BIRD
A Mayan Tale retold by Pat Betteley illustrated by Amanda Shepherd
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Semana Santa GUATEMALA'S HOLY WEEK
What if Easter preparations meant dyeing sand, collecting pine needles, and staying up all night to work on an art project that you knew would be ruined the very next day? Well, welcome to Guatemala’s Semana Santa, or Holy Week.
![ME OH-MAYA!](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/11354/573579/601256a317274/crp_ME-OH-MAYA.jpg)
ME OH-MAYA!
The Maya are groups of people who live in parts of Mexico, Honduras, and Guatemala. Their ancestors created a great society. At its peak, from 600-900 C.E., the Maya civilization was more advanced than its neighbors in the Americas.
![Playing Games Honduras-style](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/11354/573579/60124a11ce6cf/crp_Playing-Games-Honduras-style.jpg)
Playing Games Honduras-style
Would you play the same games in Honduras that you do in the United States? You might. Children in Honduras enjoy many of the same games North Americans do. They go fishing and shoot baskets. They play sandlot baseball—called bate (BAH tay). They fly kites and ride bikes. Their parents may go horseback riding or play golf or tennis.
![LIVING A LONG LIFE IN THE Blue Zone](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/11354/573579/60124ef506430/crp_LIVING-A-LONG-LIFE-IN-THEBlue-Zone.jpg)
LIVING A LONG LIFE IN THE Blue Zone
Most people would like to live as long a life as possible. No one really knows why some people live longer than others, but did you know that where you live can play a big part in how many years you’ll be alive? If you live in a Blue Zone, chances are that you will live much longer than people in other parts of the world.
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ATTENTION WORLD: Belize Saves Their Coral Reef
Sea turtles float in clear waters, colorful corals hug the ocean floor, and aquatic animals glide among the mangrove roots. Welcome to the Belize Barrier Reef Reserve System, the second-largest coral reef in the world (Australia’s Great Barrier Reef is number one). Several years ago, this reef was in crisis, heading toward destruction. But the people of Belize fought back to save their reef’s health.
![The Panama Canal](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/11354/573579/60124448eb091/crp_The-Panama-Canal.jpg)
The Panama Canal
The Panama Canal is a 51-mile long canal that connects the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.
![This is Central America!](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/11354/573579/601258384bbbd/crp_This-is-Central-America.jpg)
This is Central America!
It’s time to visit Central America. But first, it helps to know exactly where Central America is. Despite its name, it is the southernmost part of North America, which can seem a little confusing. It makes up most of the isthmus dividing the Pacific Ocean from the Caribbean Sea. An isthmus is a narrow strip of land that connects two larger landmasses and has water on both sides.