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Before the Horse
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Before the horses were introduced to the Natives, they had dogs. Dogs would be used for everything they use horses for except for warfare. For transportation, they would use dogs to carry all of their loads. For hunting, the dogs would be able to help chase them off the cliffs, then the Natives would be able to kill them easier once they were injured. For fighting, which the dogs did not help with, they would march on foot and wouldn't be able to get there faster than if they were on horses. They would also arrive to the battlefield tired, and not ready to fight the enemy.
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The Introduction of the Horse
Horses became extinct in North America during the Paleo-Indian times due to climatic changes. After Spain discovered America, they reintroduced horses to the Native Americans and were prized by the Plains Indians. Between 1800 and 1850, the Indians reached the height of their success with help from the horse. The first tribes that used Native American horses were the ones that spread through New Mexico into Texas. Before long, horses spread throughout many of the Plains Indian tribes in the Midwest and the south.
Horses changed Native American culture very dramatically. Hunting, fighting, and transportation became so much easier for the Natives.
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