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THE WILD HORSES OF THE PRYOR MOUNTAINS
Descendents of European Spanish horses.
The Pryor Mountains south of Billings, Montana, are home to some of the most unique horses in the world. DNA testing shows that these horses are closely related to the horses brought to the New World by Spanish explorers of the early 19th century. The horses were obtained by the Native American tribes of the area, and it is commonly believed that these horses are descendents of some of those horses who escaped to make their home in the Pryor Mountains.
A trip to the Pryor Mountain National Wild Horse Range is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to get an up-close look at these beautiful animals, identifiable by such markings as stripes down their backs and withers, as well as zebra stripes on their legs.
The horses can be observed in “harems” of about five or six consisting of a “bachelor stallion” along with his three or four mares and one or two young colts. The stallions are highly protective of their harems and younger stallions sometimes can be seen engaging in combat with the older ones in an effort to establish a harem for themselves. Most of the stallions carry the scars of these altercations.
While it is possible to get very close to these horses, especially the colts, visitors need to remember the protective nature of the “bachelors” and keep a “hands off” policy at all times. It should also be remembered that these animals are more fragile than they might appear and are susceptible to diseases that could be inadvertently transmitted by humans.
A visit to the Horse Range, which is managed by the Bureau of Land Management on U.S. Forest Service Land, requires a four-wheel drive vehicle and some advance knowledge of recent and impending weather conditions. The roads are mostly unimproved and become impassible as a result of moderate rains. It is advisable to check with the BLM Billings Field Office at 406-896-5013 before venturing out to view the horses. You can also hire an experienced tour operator who is familiar with the area.
The Pryor Mountains are part of Custer Country, the tourism region for southeast Montana. For a free Custer Country Vacation Guide, call toll-free 1-800-346-1876. For more ideas of great things to do in Custer Country, visit www.CusterCountry.com.
Submitted by Jim Schaefer,
Executive Director
Custer Country Montana
P.O. Box 904
Forsyth, MT 59327
www.CusterCountry.com
Custer@rangeweb.net
PH./Fax 406-346-1876
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