Why does the NHC need to exist?  

Our Mission:
The Nokota Horse Conservancy® exists to ensure the survival of the historically significant and endangered Nokota® breed. Our mission is to continue the breeding program to preserve and protect their genetics and to engage in educational outreach that advances an appreciation of the importance of the Nokota® horse and the need to sustain its existence for future generations.

This journey began with the discovery made by Leo and Frank Kuntz (or perhaps rediscovery might be more appropriate) of a rare breed of horse, more than 30 years ago.  But the journey of these horses precedes that event by centuries or perhaps millenia, and no one truly knows how far back in time that beginning occurred. What we do know, that is evidenced based, is that the Nokota®  horse has roots with the Native American people, they are likely a hybrid of ancestries some of which have now been proven to be of Asian and Iberian origin which makes them distinct from other bands of North American mustangs, and have existed in their current genetic profile for so many generations that they have become a distinct breed. Ancestors of the Nokota® horse today have existed at the intersection of humans and habitat, not segregated from either element and are therefore not a wild herd in the sense of being apart from a shared existence with humans. Their value, their worth and their purpose to all of us today is in their affinity for partnership, intelligence, intuitive knowing, strength, resilience and compassion.

We believe the journey of these horses who have come to be known as Nokota® must not end. It is for their sake as much as it is for the sake of humankind. The symbiosis that exists in the intersection of horse, habitat and human must be stewarded and protected.  The survival of this rare historic breed must be ensured through a focused and rigorous effort.