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Often different tribes would paint pictures or put hand prints on their horses to show different honors. In some tribes, each hand print signified the capture of a horse on a raid to an enemy village.

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16y ago
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12y ago

Most native Americans did not have any horses - these were restricted to the Great Plains and the areas bordering the Plains. In any one Plains tribe, such as the Crows of Montana, most horses were never painted and only ever used as transport animals. These made up the main part of the tribe's horses.

Certain horses were kept as "buffalo runners" because of their speed and bravery when hunting, running close alongside an adult buffalo cow so the hunter could drive his arrows deep into the animal's chest. The horse must not flinch from the buffalo's horns and the rider could only control the horse with his legs, since both hands were needed for the bow and arrows.

A very small percentage of the best horses were kept for war and it was these that were painted and decorated for ceremonies and to prepare for battle. Some markings recorded the warrior's deeds; others were intended to give the horse extra speed or agility, or avoid gopher holes, bullets and arrows. Some markings indicated the rider's warrior society membership, the horse raids he had been on or the wounds he had received.

Before battle, these favourite horses usually had their tails "clubbed" or tied up in a knot with feathers attached, but the reason for this is unknown.

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16y ago

They painted their horses when they went off to war or out hunting. Different symbols were thought to give the horses extra speed, better vision and stuff like that.

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Q: Why did Indians put hand prints on their horses?
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They used a buffalo's stomach to cook their food. They put hot rocks in it and they put it in their to boil.. They ate the buffalo with wild rice and seasonings.


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to hear where the horses were approaching from, it could be the enemy or could just be somebody they are waiting for


How is American Indian reservations today different from life for them before reservations?

The reservations meant that the Indians led a totally different way of life. They were a means of totally destroying the Indian culture and way of life. The Indians were not allowed to hunt the buffalo which in the best provided them will nearly everything they needed. This was they had to depend on US food hand-outs. If they tried to rebel the US would stop the food hand-outs and the tribe would starve. Tribes were split up across different reservations- they were no longer united so the tribal council, the chief lost their roles in the tribe. Religious feats, ceremonies and dances were banned, the medicine man lost his role in the tribe. Were not allowed to carry weapons- so braves couldn't prove their bravery by battle and they couldn't increase their wealth by stealing horses. Indians lost power to punish themselves, would be put on trial like Americans-lost Indian way of life and culture, Some Indians were made into US police style officers a cunning ploy to make some Indians loyal to the USA. Children were forcibly made to go to boarding school, they lived in military conditions and were taught to disrespect their Indian culture and were not allowed to speak their tribal language, Dawes act 1887 split reservations into farming plots for each family- plan to turn Indians into 'civilised' Americans and this also split the tribe. Poor, infertile soil meant they couldn't make good produced so depended on government.


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There were more than 1 president of the US involved with reservations, beginning at the First President of the USA, George Washington through the 30th, Calvin Coolidge.


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History considers the Wounded Knee Massacre on December 29, 1890, to be the end of the free Indian. This was where a band of about 350 Indians were gunned down by soldiers. Most of the men, women and children were slaughtered and their bodies left in the snow until they could be recovered several days later.

Related questions

Who painted horses?

The Indians would paint horses according to their tribe. They would put hand prints, circles around a horse's eye, etc.


Why did Indians put feathers in the horses manes?

The reason why Indians put feathers in the horse's mane was to show that theirs was a war horse. The feather was used to symbolize this.


Why do red Indians put their ear to the ground?

to hear how far the horses is and the speed they are going in


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when you put your finger prints on the glassthen their is finger prints


How do you make a hand print in concrete?

Normally you press your hand(s) in the cement when its wet or just been poured, however, if where you want the prints is already hard, you can cut a small square out, and pour fresh cement and put your prints in the new patch.


What year did Engelbert humperdinck put his hand prints in cement at MGM studios Chinese theater?

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Why did American Indians put an ear to the ground to hear an enemy coming?

They can discern the vibrations of horses in the distance, estimate how many there are as well as the speed of travel.


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You are supposed to put it on from the horses left side.


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Because sound travels better through a solid, than it does the air, so they would have been able to hear the horses hooves better by listening through the ground.


Why are your finger prints unique?

because each person is different and has different finger prints ,depends were u put ur finger.....


What is the best technique to show finger prints and how does it work?

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