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• Apsáalooke (Crow) artist
• Late 1800s
• Wood, rawhide, deer skin, beads, muslin, and wool
• Native Arts acquisition funds, 1950.66.1

Apsáalooke horse gear includes the saddle and stirrups, a saddle blanket to protect the horse, a crupper to keep the saddle from sliding off the horse, a head piece to cover the horse’s forehead, a bit that goes in the horse’s mouth, and reins. Indigenous peoples acquired their first horses from the Spanish, who arrived in North America in the sixteenth century. The high saddle, stirrups, and decorative additions bear a resemblance to Spanish models, but the Apsáalooke created their own distinctive horse equipment that reflected their identity.