New Exhibition on Horses

"Horses were and still are an integral part of Native peoples' cultures,” says Emil Her Many Horses, lead curator of the new Smithsonian exhibition A Song for the Horse Nation. “Many people don’t realize the impact that horses have had in our lives. From hunting to warfare to travel, the horse opened many possibilities for us. They are a part of who we are.”

From the Oglala Lakota Nation of South Dakota, the curator knows the subject well. When he was in college, Her Many Horses got on a temperamental show horse that took off at full speed. “I just had to let him run,” he recalls, “but I got back on that same horse the next week. I learned how to control him."

A sense of equine intuition must be in his blood. His surname comes from a paternal great-grandmother, whose own name can be translated to “Many Horses Woman,” or owner of many horses. Since horses were often a family’s most valuable possessions, she would certainly have been a wealthy woman. Yet for the Oglala Lakota and many other Native Americans, the real gauge of status was the ability to relinquish one’s most prized belongings. To give away one’s horse was the ultimate gesture of generosity and a fitting way to honor a family member or friend. A horse would be “brought out at a community gathering, while men on horseback waited outside. Then it was given a slap on the rump and released. The man on horseback fortunate enough to catch the freed horse became its new owner,” says the curator of traditional giveaway ceremonies.

Whoever the owner, a horse was always cherished. Native Americans adorned their mounts with intricately beaded head coverings, finely created saddles, and colorful saddle bags. Indeed, the accoutrements worn by a beloved steed were often as majestic as the animal itself. A collection of more than 150 such items will be on view in A Song for the Horse Nation, debuting at the Smithsonian’s of the American Indian in 2009 and beginning its national tour in 2012. Other impressive items—such as hide robes, coats, and leggings—paint a personal picture of what the horse meant to individuals in battle and in daily life. At its core, this exhibition explores the deep-rooted and powerful relationship between Native Americans and horses.