Heavy Shield was from the Blood Reserve. He was also known as Many Spotted Horses. Heavy Shield was the chief of the one of the wealthiest bands on the Blood Nation. In fact, they were so wealthy that people often referred to them as the Many Fat Horses Band. Heavy Shield had amassed his huge herd of horses on the warpath. His preference was for pintos. He had about three hundred pintos in his herds when he signed Treaty Seven at Blackfoot Crossing in 1877.
Using the media player above, listen to the audio commentary by Linda Many Guns (2m 36s).
James Henderson
Portrait of Heavy Shield, c. 1929
oil on canvas
76.5 x 61.0 cm
University of Saskatchean Art Collection, purchased from the artist, 1929.
