Nothing captures the spirit of the Old West like the free-roaming, majestic mustangs that can be found in parts of the United States. These spirited horses give a glimpse into what life was like hundreds of years ago, in the days of the infamous Wild West.In some ways, Mustangs are still shrouded in mystery, as they often shy away from the public eye. If you’ve been itching to learn more about these wild horses, you’ll love these informative facts!

Mustangs Wild Horses Cowgirl Magazine
Photo courtesy of habitatforhorses.org.

1) Mustangs have hooves of steel:

These horses frequently travel long distances, which is why it’s perfect that they have harder and more durable hooves than domesticated horses.

Mustangs Wild Horses Cowgirl Magazine
Photo courtesy of Salt River Wild Horse Management Group.

2) Free roaming horses survive off of little food:

Mustangs typically eat about six pounds of hay or grass each day, even when they have more food that is available to them.

Mustangs Wild Horses Cowgirl Magazine
Photo courtesy of Salt River Wild Horse Management Group.

3) Mustangs are not currently endangered, but some advocates wish they were classified as such:

There are many wild horse advocates who believe it is wrong to not have Mustangs classified as endangered. There once was approximately two million Mustangs in the United States, but now the number has dropped down to roughly 25,000.

Mustangs Wild Horses Cowgirl Magazine
Photo courtesy of Raffaella Calzoni.

4) Mustangs have an average lifespan for a horse, but some have been known to live for several decades:

Without illness and major complications, Mustangs usually live fifteen to twenty years in the wild. However, some of these horses have lived to the age of 40!

Mustangs Wild Horses Cowgirl Magazine
Photo courtesy of Salt River Wild Horse Management Group.

5) Mustangs come in a wide array of sizes and colors:

Wild horses can come in all sizes and colors! In fact, Mustangs can be found in any color variation that exists within the horse world.