A major exhibition exploring the relationship between American Indian tribes and horses opens in Washington DC on October 29.



A Crow war pony, painted by Kennard Real Bird. © Brady Willette A Crow war pony, painted by Kennard Real Bird. © Brady Willette

The exhibition runs at the Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian, on the National Mall, until January 2013.

The story of the relationship of native peoples and horses is one of the great sagas of human contact with the animal world.

When American Indians encountered horses - which some tribes call the Horse Nation - they found an ally, inspiring and useful in times of peace, and intrepid in times of war.

Horses transformed their lives and became a central part of many tribal cultures.

By the 1800s, American Indian horsemanship was legendary, and the survival of many native peoples, especially on the Great Plains, depended on horses.

They paid homage to horses by incorporating them into their cultural and spiritual lives, and by creating art that honored the bravery and grace of the horse.

The glory days of the horse culture were brilliant but brief, lasting just over a century.

The bond between American Indians and the Horse Nation, however, has remained strong through the generations.

To celebrate the opening of the exhibition, entitled "A Song for the Horse Nation", the museum is welcoming the DC Mounted Police and equestrian and artist Kennard Real Bird (Crow), who will present the US and Crow Nation flags on horseback at 3pm on October 29 on the museum's outdoor Welcome Plaza.

Following the presentation of the colours, museum staffer K.J. Jacks (Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma) will perform the US national anthem.