Cayuse (horse)
Encyclopedia
Cayuse is an archaic term used in the American West
, usually referring to a feral
or low-quality horse or pony.
In British Columbia
, the variant word cayoosh refers to a particular breed of mountain pony with shorter legs and large hindquarters, typically also of Indian husbandry.
The origin of the word is a Native American adaptation of the Spanish
caballo, with the -s ending a noun form in Salishan languages
. A variant adaptation, kiuatan, with a Sahaptian -tan ending, is the main word for "horse" or "pony" in the Chinook Jargon
, although cayuse or cayoosh was also used in some areas. For this reason, some horses owned by Native American people were dubbed "cayuse," often with derogatory intent.
Two cayuses that made history were Nimpo and Stuyve who were depicted in Richmond P. Hobson, Jr.
's book Grass Beyond The Mountains. Both horses had been captured by a local Native American named Thomas Squinas near Nimpo Lake
in the Chilcotin District
of British Columbia. Hobson described the two cayuses as the best horses that he owned, because of their unrelenting spirit and hardiness that helped them survive the extreme conditions in northern British Columbia.
Western United States
.The Western United States, commonly referred to as the American West or simply "the West," traditionally refers to the region comprising the westernmost states of the United States. Because the U.S. expanded westward after its founding, the meaning of the West has evolved over time...
, usually referring to a feral
Feral
A feral organism is one that has changed from being domesticated to being wild or untamed. In the case of plants it is a movement from cultivated to uncultivated or controlled to volunteer. The introduction of feral animals or plants to their non-native regions, like any introduced species, may...
or low-quality horse or pony.
In British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
, the variant word cayoosh refers to a particular breed of mountain pony with shorter legs and large hindquarters, typically also of Indian husbandry.
The origin of the word is a Native American adaptation of the Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
caballo, with the -s ending a noun form in Salishan languages
Salishan languages
The Salishan languages are a group of languages of the Pacific Northwest...
. A variant adaptation, kiuatan, with a Sahaptian -tan ending, is the main word for "horse" or "pony" in the Chinook Jargon
Chinook Jargon
Chinook Jargon originated as a pidgin trade language of the Pacific Northwest, and spread during the 19th century from the lower Columbia River, first to other areas in modern Oregon and Washington, then British Columbia and as far as Alaska, sometimes taking on characteristics of a creole language...
, although cayuse or cayoosh was also used in some areas. For this reason, some horses owned by Native American people were dubbed "cayuse," often with derogatory intent.
Two cayuses that made history were Nimpo and Stuyve who were depicted in Richmond P. Hobson, Jr.
Richmond P. Hobson, Jr.
Richmond P. "Rich" Hobson, Jr. was an American-Canadian author who wrote memoirs of his life as a rancher in British Columbia. His books, Grass Beyond the Mountains, Nothing Too Good for a Cowboy, and The Rancher Takes a Wife, inspired a CBC television program .Born in Washington, D.C., in 1907,...
's book Grass Beyond The Mountains. Both horses had been captured by a local Native American named Thomas Squinas near Nimpo Lake
Nimpo Lake
Nimpo Lake is a freshwater lake in the Chilcotin District of British Columbia, Canada. It is located 185 miles west of Williams Lake on the Chilcotin Highway and is approx. 100 miles east of Bella Coola...
in the Chilcotin District
Chilcotin District
The Chilcotin District of British Columbia is usually known simply as "the Chilcotin", and also in speech commonly as "the Chilcotin Country" or simply Chilcotin. It is a plateau and mountain region in British Columbia on the inland lea of the Coast Mountains on the west side of the Fraser River....
of British Columbia. Hobson described the two cayuses as the best horses that he owned, because of their unrelenting spirit and hardiness that helped them survive the extreme conditions in northern British Columbia.