World Horse Day | Holiday Smart

World Horse Day / Horse Protection Day is March 1st

World Horse Day (WHD) also called National Horse Protection Day (NHPD) is a day to recognize horses and their spirit over centuries in being man's best friend (aside from the dog). 

March 1, World Horse Day, or National Horse Protection Day, is centered on promoting the safeguard, security, and welfare of a creature most commonly associated with the idea of freedom. Horses have been at the center of cultural development around the world for thousands of years. As global citizens, we must all do our part to help defend the wellness of our time-tested adventuring friends.

History of World Horse Day

Colleen Paige is the founder of World Horse Day. A leading Pet and Family Lifestyle Expert and animal behaviorist Colleen created this holiday to help educate people of horses in need of adoption, celebrate horses, and embrace humane horse-related sports. Learning to ride and care for horses as a child, Colleen’s love for them led her founding of National Horse Protection Day in March of 2005.

History of The Horse

Horses have lived on this planet for a very long time. The American Museum of Natural History estimates that horses have been roaming the Earth for over 50 million years. It’s been as much as 6,000 years since humans began domesticated these great beasts. They have helped us fight wars, tend our farms, travel into the far reaches of the unknown, and conquer mysteries of life! Horses have quite literally helped mankind build our civilizations. Humans and horses share a bond that runs into the marrow of our beings. Which makes the inhumane treatment and slaughter of horses all the more heartbreaking. For a variety of reasons, whether it be due to illness or performance issues (racing and such), a horse can be sent to slaughter. These types of horses are labeled ‘unwanted’. A portion of slaughtered horses is processed for human consumption. Such horse meat is unsafe because the chemical substances in a horse’s body are harmful to humans. Horse advocacy groups and conservationists are working to end the slaughtering process and find suitable homes for these forgotten equines.

Fun Horse Facts

• Horses are herbivore mammals
• Their scientific name is Equus ferus caballus
• Horses are ungulates-mammals with hooves
• There are more than 400 different breeds of horses
• Baby horses are foals, not ponies. Ponies are adult horses shorter than 56 inches (147 cm)
• Wild horses are free roamers. Feral horses are descendants of once domesticated stock, but who now run free in the wild.
• A group of wild horses gathers in herds of 3-20 horses. A mature male leads the herd, with females and their young making up the rest.
• Male horses are stallions
• Female horses are mares
• The Przewalski horse is the only true wild horse. Their ancestors were never domesticated.

 

Ways To Observe Horse Protection Day

Visit the Horse Protection Day website to sign-up for their newsletter and read up on more ways you can help a horse in need

World Horse Day Facebook page

Habitat for Horses

More info on horse slaughter and the ‘unwanted horse:’https://www.habitatforhorses.org/slaughter/https://www.avma.org/resources/animal-health-welfare/unwanted-horse-and-horse-slaughter