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How did horses change the mobility of Indigenous peoples of the Great Plains?

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Plains style — Indigenous peoples of the Great Plains Dancers at the Totah Festival Powwow performing the Northern Tradition dance, a dance inspired by Plains traditions, on September 1, 2007, in Farmington, New Mexico.

The introduction of the horse profoundly transformed the lives of Indigenous peoples of the Great Plains, serving as a catalyst for significant changes in mobility and productivity. By the mid-18th century, horses had become relatively common, allowing groups to transition from pedestrian hunting to mounted hunting.12

This shift in mobility enabled Indigenous hunters to keep pace with large buffalo herds across the grasslands, which significantly improved their ability to support themselves. As tribes became increasingly reliant on equestrian hunting, they adjusted their annual cycles to match the movements of the buffalo, adopting a more nomadic lifestyle that followed the herds as they dispersed throughout the year.2

The increased mobility and productivity provided by horses also led to significant social and economic changes, including the development of wealth disparities, the rise of horse-based trade, and the emergence of new cultural practices. While horses revolutionized travel and hunting, dogs remained in use for mundane, short-distance tasks, as horses were considered too valuable for such labor.32