The Grazing Texas Longhorn
by David and Carol Kelly
Title
The Grazing Texas Longhorn
Artist
David and Carol Kelly
Medium
Photograph - Photograph
Description
The roots of the Texas Longhorn go back to the late 1400s. Cattle were not indigenous to North America, but were introduced by gold seeking Spanish conquistadors. The Texas longhorn is a hybrid breed resulting from a random mixing of Spanish retinto (criollo) stock and English cattle that Anglo American frontiersmen brought to Texas from southern and midwestern states in the 1820s and 1830s. Left on their own, the cattle strayed, grew larger and soon turned wild. In the wild they thrived, growing heavy boned, skinny and swift. Their long legs and long horns provided offensive weapons and defensive protection. They also developed a fiery temper and a malicious cleverness. By the Civil War the half wild Texas longhorns emerged as a recognizable type. They behaved like Spanish stock but had an appreciable amount of British blood.
The background texture is from "The Daily Texture".
Uploaded
July 10th, 2015
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