If you’re going to ride trail and drive a herd of cattle along the Chisholm Trail, then you need to make sure that you’ve got a fair stable of horses. Strong horses that comfortable with a cowboy in the saddle on their back.
During roundup and the drive, each cowboy required three to four fresh horses to complete a day’s work.
Young foals were commonly born to tame mares.
They would then be allowed to grow up “wild” on the open range.
“Wild” herds were often known as mustangs.
To tame the mature animals, a process called horse breaking, or “bronco-busting,” was employed, usually by cowboys who specialized in training horses.
