Getting back to Native Americans and horses I talked with my brother today about it. A lot I'm sure everyone here knew except what John Lame Deer said was factual.
My brother is 75, PhD Geology, taught at George Mason before starting a business (radon remediation and environmental work), an avid mineral, fossil, artifact collector. Always since a kid interested in Geology & Anthropology.
Horses have gone through five evolutions starting with Hyracotherium 50 million years ago, very small. Here's good credible information:
American Museum of Natural History
American Museum of Natural History | New York City › horse › th...
Like many animals they went extinct for a while and over time increased in size.
Internet "research" says "The first horses to return to the main continent were 16 specifically identified horses brought by Hernán Cortés in 1519. Subsequent explorers, such as Coronado and De Soto brought ever-larger numbers, some from Spain and others from breeding establishments set up by the Spanish in the Caribbean".
The bottom line is certainly there were horses here before Cortes and there are dated cave drawings as proof.
I get the gist of what John was saying (John Deer that is
).