How did horses come to america?

Modern horses, zebras, and asses belong to the genus Equus, the only surviving genus in a once diverse family, the Equidae. Based on fossil records, the genus appears to have originated in North America about 4 million years ago and spread to Eurasia (presumably by crossing the Bering land bridge) 2 to 3 million years ago. read more

The modern horse was introduced to North America in 1519 by Spanish conquistadors. Hernán Cortés brought 15 horses to the mainland, and many of them were granted to settlers in Mexico and New Mexico. Further expeditions brought more horses, and large, wild herds existed in America by the 17th century. read more

In 1493, on Columbus’ second voyage to the Americas, Spanish horses, representing E. caballus, were brought back to North America, first in the Virgin Islands, and, in 1519, they were reintroduced on the continent, in modern-day Mexico, from where they radiated throughout the American Great Plains, after escape from their owners or by pilfering (Fazio 1995). read more