“When I was somewhat past ten years of age, my father took me with him
to watch the horses out on the prairie. We watered the herd and about
the middle of the day came home for dinner. . .
While we sat watching the herd, my father said:
‘These horses are God-like, or mystery beings.’ ”
–Wolf Chief, Hidatsa Sioux
The Nokota® horses have lived and roamed the vast expanse of open lands for hundreds of years. They are the descendants from the last-surviving population of wild horses in the Little Missouri Badlands, located in the southwestern corner of North Dakota. For at least a century, this incredible lineage of horses lived free and among the Native American Indian Nations. They carry the blood of their ancestors; horses that survived the harshest of winters and battles between the native nations and the military, as Native Americans were forced onto reservation lands and killed. Sitting Bull, who led the Hunkpapa Lakota Sioux Nation, rode the ancestors of these Nokota® horses. They are the last of Sitting Bull’s revered ponies.
Nokota® horses are identifiable by their unique characteristics. They are also known for their stamina, athleticism, and durability. While they live feral in the wild, they are cherished by so many for their “wild but mild” character. They will develop unusually strong reciprocal bonds with those they trust. They are “problem solvers” who actively think their way through different situations.
The Nokota Horse Preserve of Chester Springs, PA strives to preserve the magical American Nokota® horse breed through education and sustainable pasture. As a non-profit 501c3, they coordinate with the Nokota Horse Conservancy, in North Dakota, and provide a home for these horses who are losing their open lands, as they help them find their human partners.
These horses are the last of the true “Wild West” legends. You can be a part of preserving their place in American history as well as their place in our future.
For more information on the Nokota® horse, please visit The Nokota Horse Preserve of Chester Springs
