Equus Rising How the Horse Shaped U.S. History

About this book

Weapon. Legend. Energy source. Shaper of cultures. Center of controversy. Throughout U.S. history, the horse has served as one of the most powerful influences on the country's development. Beginning fifty-five million years ago with the evolution of the horse across the Great Plains, this story charts its extinction in North America, followed by its reintroduction to the continent by the Spanish. The eventual acquisition of Spanish horses by the native peoples of the plains had profound consequences for the continent's future: it resulted in the explosion of wild horses across the West and unleashed some of the most talented and brutal mounted warriors in the world, the Comanche, who staved off European-American development of much of the plains for nearly two centuries. From there, the story tracks the horse's incredible contributions – through warring and racing and hauling, through companionship and servitude and strength – across the broad arc of the country's next three hundred years.

Soplop employs the horse as a narrative thread not only to bind seemingly disparate events, but also to allow for the inclusion of figures often written out of traditional histories: women and minorities. Through a modern, unconventional lens, she skillfully weaves together science, policy, literature, and history to trace the fascinating story of how one animal shaped the nation. Captivating pen and ink illustrations by Montana artist Robert Spannring, interspersed with Soplop's stunning photography, add further depth and visual interest.

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Biography

A fascination with animal behaviour has led writer and photographer Julia Soplop around the globe. So, naturally, when her daughters started riding lessons, the horses' behaviour immediately drew Soplop in. What began as a casual interest rapidly escalated into amassing a collection of horse literature; dashing around the country to photograph wild horses; and, ultimately, writing this book. Soplop's work has appeared in numerous publications, including National Geographic Magazine Online, Design Mom, Skiing, and the Summit Daily News. She is also the author of Documenting Your World Through Photography. She has a B.A. in French from Duke University and an M.A. in Medical Journalism from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She lives with her family outside of Chapel Hill.

Robert Spannring has been a professional painter and illustrator for fifty years. Born and raised in Montana, he grew up sneaking away from school to draw landscapes and wildlife and explore what might be around the next corner. He has served as Artist-In-Residence at the Lake Hotel in Yellowstone National Park, and created interpretive dinosaur illustrations for the Museum of the Rockies' Special Museum Exhibits. Spannring has done illustration work for the Greater Yellowstone Coalition (of which he is a founding member), Defenders of Wildlife, the U.S. Forest Service, the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks, and the Montana Audubon Council, among others. His work has appeared in numerous museums and galleries in the West and in private collections across the U.S.