Introduction

The Nez Perce tribe occupied the Wallowa Valley in Idaho and parts of Washington State. They were a people that gathered fish and wild plants in addition to hunting local game. The Nez Perce traveled with the seasons, moving into the mountains that contained river headwaters in the summer and moving into the deep canyons in the winter. This tribe is most famous for fleeing General Custer and the persecution of the American Calvary under the lead of Chief Joseph, who lead his people to freedom in Canada, and for the development of the Appaloosa Horse breed. The Appaloosa is easily identifiable by their spotted coat patterns and their dedication and trustworthiness to their riders. The Nez Perce were the first Native Americans to have a selective breeding program in which they bred certain mares to certain stallions to produce desired traits (like coat patterns, mindset, etc) and to castrate stallions that were considered invaluable. This is how the Appaloosa breed was started.