A nation’s debt to the horse

National Day of the Horse falls on December 13 and is one of the few animal observances written into the public record: in 2004 the United States Senate passed a resolution encouraging people to recognize the horse’s contribution to the country’s economy, history, and character. It is hard to overstate that contribution. Horses cleared and plowed the land, carried mail and messages, pulled wagons west, fought in wars, and worked cattle across the open range long before engines took over. Whole towns grew up around the work horses did, and the language still carries the traces, from the word horsepower to the phrase one-horse town.

More than history

The horse’s story did not end when the tractor arrived. Today horses anchor a huge community of riders, ranchers, and breeders, and they do quietly remarkable work in therapy programs, where the steady rhythm and warmth of a horse help children and adults with physical and emotional challenges in ways few other treatments can. Equine-assisted therapy is now a respected field precisely because horses are so attuned to the people around them. To spend time with a horse is to be read, gently, by an animal that misses very little. That sensitivity is exactly why time in the saddle or the stable settles so many people; the horse meets you where you are.

There is something about the outside of a horse that is good for the inside of a person, as the old saying goes.

How to honor the day

If you ride, December 13 is a fine excuse for extra time at the barn and a thorough, appreciative grooming session. If you do not, consider supporting the animals directly: rescues and thoroughbred-aftercare organizations work year-round to retrain and rehome horses whose working days are over, and donations or volunteer hours make a real difference. A beginner riding lesson, a visit to a therapeutic riding center, or simply a good book such as Wendy Williams’s history The Horse all fit the spirit of the day.

Horses ask for consistent care, patient handling, and respect, and in return they have carried humanity — literally — through most of recorded history. National Day of the Horse sets aside December 13 to remember that partnership and to look after the animals who upheld their end of it. Head to a stable, support a rescue, or just stand at a fence and watch a horse move, and you will understand why the Senate thought this one worth marking.

How to celebrate

  1. 1
    Spend time at a stable

    If you ride, December 13 is a fine excuse for extra barn time and a thorough, appreciative grooming session. If you do not, many stables offer beginner lessons or tours. Being near a horse is its own reward.

  2. 2
    Support a horse rescue

    Rescues and thoroughbred-aftercare groups retrain and rehome horses whose working days are over. A donation or volunteer hours make a real difference. Verify the organization is reputable before you give.

  3. 3
    Learn the history

    Horses cleared land, carried the mail, pulled wagons west, and worked cattle for generations. Wendy Williams's book The Horse is a readable place to explore that story. The Senate resolution behind this day recognizes exactly that legacy.

  4. 4
    Visit a therapeutic riding center

    Equine-assisted therapy helps children and adults with physical and emotional challenges in ways few other treatments can. Many centers welcome visitors or volunteers. It is a moving way to see what horses give people today.

  5. 5
    Just watch a horse move

    Sometimes appreciation is simple: stand at a fence and watch a horse graze and run. There is something about the outside of a horse that is good for the inside of a person, as the saying goes. Let the day be that easy.