After the Lakota migrated onto the Great Plains, they adapted their traditional knowledge and skills to suit their new surroundings. They also adapted new elements as the need or opportunity arose. Perhaps the most important innovation in Lakota culture was the incorporation of horses into the economy.

Ancient species of horses had existed in North America many thousands of years ago, but they became extinct long before the ancestors of American Indians arrived on the continent. Thousands of years later, modern horses were brought to North America by Europeans. The American Indians living on the open plains immediately realized the enormous potential for travel and transport afforded by use of horses.

When the Lakota crossed the Missouri River around 1750, horses were just beginning to make their appearance in the northern plains. Most of these animals were obtained through trading networks originating in the Southwest. Native groups living in present-day Texas and New Mexico got horses by trading with or raiding Spanish settlements. Other groups, such as those living on the Plains, obtained horses by trading with these Indian people.

The Great Plains