Human-Horse Interactions in the Americas

This presentation draws upon a wide range of equestrian cultures of North and South America to examine human-horse interactions through a variety of lenses. The goal is to lay out a research agenda of topics that might be compared not just for the Western Hemisphere, but globally. Historical photographs and paintings illustrate a wide range of equestrian activities and images.

The first topic is the work relationship between horses and humans, to include the horse as a draft animal as well as equestrian partner, as evidenced in native buffalo hunting, ranch labor, and cavalry service. From work we move to equestrian play, focused on rodeo and other competitions, including the participation of women as well as men. The third topic is the sociology of horse power, with special attention to gender. We’ll explore the gendered views of Argentina's gauchos toward horses and women and how those attitudes contrast with cowboys elsewhere. The fourth topic is the politics of horse power in Spanish America and the United States. Examples include Spanish kings and other royals, Francisco Madero, Emiliano Zapata, Pancho Villa, Lyndon Baines Johnson, Ladybird Johnson, Sandra Day O’Connor, and Ronald and Nancy Reagan. We close with a comparison of the image and roles of horses in popular culture from Wild West shows to film.