melaniebray+FollowThose “wild mustangs” are literally just feral petsEvery single “wild” horse in America today descended from domestic horses that Europeans brought over starting with Columbus. The actual wild horses that were native to North America? They went extinct something like 10,000+ years ago. So when people get all misty-eyed about “preserving our wild heritage” and the “spirit of the American West,” they’re talking about… escaped farm animals. Don’t get me wrong—I think horses are incredible, and these feral populations have been here for centuries now. But calling them “wild” is like calling the stray cats in my neighborhood a “wild feline species.” It’s kind of funny how we’ve built this whole mythology around mustangs being this ancient, untamed symbol of America when they’re basically the descendants of Spanish cavalry horses that got loose. The real wild horses of America have been gone since before humans even figured out agriculture. #History #AmericanWest1042Share
ThriveInChaos+FollowWhere Rivers Change Names and Broncs Defy Riders: Wyoming’s Quiet WondersWyoming is a land where the ordinary often hides a twist. The state’s license plate doesn’t just show a cowboy—it immortalizes Old Steamboat, a legendary bronc that no one could tame. Wyoming’s reputation as the “Equality State” isn’t just a slogan; it was the first to grant women the right to vote, decades before it became federal law. Yellowstone, the world’s first national park, sprawls mostly within Wyoming’s borders, while Devils Tower stands as America’s inaugural national monument. In the heart of the state, the Wind River transforms into the Big Horn River midstream, marked each year by a Native American ceremony called the “Wedding of the Waters.” From coal-rich plains to the Red Desert’s mysterious drainage, Wyoming’s landscapes and history quietly rewrite the rules. In a state where even rivers and horses refuse to follow the usual path, the unexpected is just part of the scenery. #WyomingCulture #HiddenHistory #AmericanWest #Culture20Share
