feral horse

Horses originally evolved on the North American continent but disappeared approximately 10,000 years ago. However, they survived in Europe and Asia and were reintroduced to North America by the Spanish in the 1500s. By the 1700s, large herds, sometimes numbering in the thousands, roamed the Great Plains. In later years, modern ranchers viewed these horses as a nuisance and sought to eradicate them. In the 1970s, they were granted federal protection, and today, around 200 wild horses roam Theodore Roosevelt National Park.