Many native American societies accepted horses and it represented a fundamental change in how native societies operated. Some of these changes were good, while other changes brought strife. In "Hell came with Horses" by Margot liberty, she explores this topic. Some of the benefits of horses was more efficient hunting by the tribes. With a horse, hunts that would have taken months to complete could be finished in a few weeks. Other benefits were greater means of travel opened new trading and exploration opportunities.

With these benefits there were also negatives. Traditional tribal power structures were displaced without the opportunity to create new ones. The introduction of horses also heralded a destruction of female roles in native societies, especially in plain tribes. Since it was initially incorporated into "male" activities, hunting, trading and war, it was seen as relating to men exclusively. Even when being appied to a "womens" activity like farming it was men who used the horse. Because of this women lost their roles and purpose in many Plains tribes. Without a clear purpose many of them were treated like the only value they had left was in creating children.