As horses made their way north from Spanish colonies into the southwest, they deeply affected every culture they encountered. Most scholars agree that the horse was introduced into the Nez Perce homeland in the late 1600s to the early 1700s. Horses made travel, hunting and gathering easier and more efficient. They brought a steady stream of goods and cultural influences from the Great Plains. The Nimiipuu became accomplished horse breeders. Large horse herds were one of the primary measures of wealth and influence.

In the late eighteenth century, as Great Britain, Spain, and the US began exploring the Pacific Coast, new influences came to Nez Perce country. The introduction of Euro-American trade goods, including fire arms, metal tools, beads, and cloth changed economic values. They added variety and new spirit to the ancient trade system that flourished in this region for thousands of years. These contacts, however, also brought in new diseases that quickly spread through the trade networks.