While it might be hard to personally visit all the horse museums in America—they span from Maine to Idaho—you can learn a lot about horses and their amazing history by just checking out their websites. Pay a virtual visit to these museums to learn more about horses, shop their online souvenir stores, and if you like what you see, make plans to see them in person.

Appaloosa Museum & Heritage Center

The Appaloosa Horse played an important part in the history of the Pacific Northwest, and the Appaloosa Museum & Heritage Center in Moscow, Idaho, pays tribute to this colorful breed.

The record of the spotted horse, going back to prehistoric times, begins your journey on the museum’s website, featuring historical artwork showing the origins of colorful-coated equines. You can get a sense of the exhibits at the museum on the Museum Features page, and get details on how to book an in-person tour.

Don’t leave the site without stopping at the museum store, where you can buy everything from Appaloosa posters to jewelry.

Learn more at appaloosamuseum.com.

American Quarter Horse Hall of Fame & Museum

The American Quarter Horse is the most popular breed of horse in the world, and the museum dedicated to it in Amarillo, Texas, reflects that popularity. This grand museum features galleries, halls and theaters, all dedicated to the what the American Quarter Horse Association has dubbed America’s most versatile horse.

On the museum website, you’ll find photos and exhibit details, along with information on how to visit the museum in person. Bring your wallet if you make the trip—the museum has a great gift shop.

Learn more at aqha.com/museum.

American Saddlebred Museum

The American Saddlebred Museum, dedicated solely to the American Saddlebred Horse, is located in Lexington, Ky., on the grounds of the Kentucky Horse Park. It houses the largest collection of Saddlebred horse artifacts in the world. 

The museum website provides images from the John P. and Dorothy Lenore Gallery Wing, which houses the museum’s temporary exhibitions, as well as the gift shop.

For in-person visitors, the Elisabeth M. Goth History Wing features interactive areas covering early history and formation of the breed; a mare and foal sculpture; a movie about the breed in the American Saddlebred Experience Theater; a children’s area where kids can color and put together puzzles; a section where visitors can try on show clothes and check their riding posture; and an interactive display where visitors can experience the feeling of being on a horse.

Learn more at asbmuseum.org.

International Museum of the Horse

The largest and most comprehensive of all horse museums is the 64,000-square-foot International Museum of the Horse, located at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, Ky. Dedicated to exploring the history of all horses and their impact on human civilization, the museum maintains an ever-growing library and archives, and serves as a resource for scholars and researchers throughout the world.

The museum’s website contains a searchable collection, which allows you to view museum items online based on keywords. You can also get a glimpse of exhibits inside the museum, which will whet your appetite for an in-person visit.

Learn more at kyhorsepark.com/explore/international-museum-of-the-horse.

Kentucky Derby Museum

The most famous horse race in America has its own museum! Located at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky., home of the race itself, the Kentucky Derby Museum recently celebrated its 150th anniversary of the race with new exhibits, track tours and a History of the Kentucky Derby book release.

A visit to the museum website provides you with a peek at the new exhibits (including a “Long Shots” exhibit and a display dedicated to Secretariat), a review of the museum’s permanent collection, and a chance to shop online at the Derby Museum Store.

Learn more at derbymuseum.org.

National Morgan Horse Museum

Located at the Pineland Farms Equestrian Center in New Gloucester, Maine, the National Morgan Horse Museum is run by the American Morgan Horse Association, and is dedicated to the history and development of the Morgan Horse in the United States.

The museum website includes historical photographs and articles about Morgans, plus promotional videos about the museum, which provide a look into what the museum has to offer to in-person visitors.

Learn more at morganhorse.com/about/museum.

National Museum of Racing & Hall of Fame

You can learn everything you need to know about Thoroughbred racing in a fascinating series of exhibits at the National Museum of Racing & Hall of Fame, located in historic Saratoga Springs, N.Y.

Paintings from the collection of 20th century racing enthusiast Charles H. Thieriot, an exhibit on the famous racehorse Ruffian, and a juried racing photography exhibit are all currently on display at the museum. The permanent collection includes sculptures, trophies, racing memorabilia, an assortment of paintings and photographs, and of course the Hall of Fame.

Visitors to the website can learn more about what the museum has to offer, as well as buy select items at the online gift shop.

Learn more at racingmuseum.org.

National Sporting Library & Museum

Founded in 1954, the National Sporting Library & Museum (NSLM) is located in Middleburg, Va., the heart of Virginia’s beautiful foxhunting country.

The inviting six-acre campus, world-class research library, and fine art museum highlight the rich heritage and tradition of country pursuits. Angling, horsemanship, shooting, steeplechase, foxhunting, flat racing, polo, coaching, and wildlife are among the subjects you can explore in the institution’s general stacks, rare book holdings, archives, and art collection.

The NSLM also offers a wide variety of educational programs, exhibitions, and family activities throughout the year.

Learn more at nationalsporting.org.

This article about horse museums appeared in the October 2024 issue of Horse Illustrated magazine. Click here to subscribe!

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Just weeks earlier, America had been attacked. The country was reeling from the shock and devastation of 9/11.

The mission for ODA 595? Team up with local Afghan warlords and resistance fighters to defeat the Taliban. The operation: Task Force Dagger.

It was a dangerous insertion. The unknowns far outweighed the known.

On the Chinook that night were several 50-pound bags of oats. How that grain figured into the mission would soon become clear. About 48 hours before insertion into Afghanistan, the team was informed that they should “be prepared to use indigenous animals for transportation.”

Turns out those “indigenous animals” were native Afghan horses. Stallions, to be precise.

The Green Berets’ Horseback Mission

At sunrise the next morning, about 60 Afghan men arrived mounted on horses. Accompanied by outriders and scouts, they were led by General Abdul Rashid Dostum, an Uzbeck warlord.

ODA 595 was tasked with coordinating with Dostum, other warlords, and Afghan resistance, collectively known as the Northern Alliance, to take the fight directly to the Taliban.

The Special Forces team was led by Captain Mark Nutsch, the only man of the 12 who had any serious riding experience, thanks to his early years on a Kansas ranch.

It was soon obvious that some of the Green Berets would be riding out that very morning.

“This wasn’t a cavalry unit; these horses were owned by the Afghan men who rode with Dostum,” recalls Staff Sergeant Will Summers, who became a Green Beret in 1996. “He literally pointed out six men and told them to get off and let the Americans ride their horses.” The Afghan horses were light-boned and hardy, relatively short, and barefoot.

Tack Challenges

Unlike the tack North American riders take for granted, most of the Afghan saddles were made of thin wood, or even bone, covered by wool carpeting held together with nails and glue. There was a blanket on the horse’s back and a single cinch.

“The ‘saddle’ I rode in was the pelvis bone of a cow flipped upside-down, covered with carpet and held onto the horse with a braided rope,” says Summers, who had only ridden once before.

In the six years he’d been a Green Beret prior to Task Force Dagger, it never crossed the mind of Sergeant First Class Vince Makela that he might ride a horse onto the battlefield.

“The stirrups couldn’t be adjusted, and that was really uncomfortable,” says Makela. “We learned this the hard way the first day—our knees were way up there.”

He adds that they soon improvised with parachute cord to lengthen the stirrups.

“The bridles were handmade leather with some fabric ornamentation,” says Makela, adding that horses were trained to “plow rein,” not neck rein.

“I didn’t see any horses that weren’t being treated well, but we, on the other hand, had plenty of saddle sores,” says Summers. “There were times we had to get up in the morning and pour water into our pants to loosen up the blood and pus that had dried and stuck to our pants overnight.” He says that their sores never totally healed during the mission due to the hours spent riding.

Captain Nutsch put in a request for lightweight McClellan-type saddles to better accommodate his men. The saddles were air-dropped in mid-November, but by then their mission was completed, so the men of ODA 595 never rode in them.

The Green Berets Ride Into History

As the mission unfolded, two special operations airmen from the Air Force joined ODA 595. They broke into teams of three or four men, advising and calling in airstrikes for Dostum and other Northern Alliance commanders.

At times, the Special Forces teams were scattered as far apart as 12 or more hours riding. And those were not easy riding miles.

“Some of the gorges were very steep with up to 1,000-foot drop-offs,” says Makela. “The trails were very narrow with exposed rock. My horse was pretty sure-footed; one time his back legs slid out from under him, but he caught himself. Some of the other horses did slip and fall.”

Summers adds that sometimes they had to form a switchback to zigzag down the mountainside.

“There were places that were sheer rock and others where I never knew God could stack dirt that high,” he says.

Because all the horses were stallions, they were constantly vying for dominance.

The men of ODA 595 learned it was a status symbol to have a horse, and that Afghan men only wanted to ride stallions—not geldings or mares.

“My horse would be biting and kicking at the horses in front of and behind us, and those horses were doing the same to us,” recalls Summers, adding that it was “very unnerving” to have the horses doing this along mountain passes with plunging drop-offs.

Heavily loaded donkeys accompanied the teams, packing in equipment and supplies. The men themselves carried crucial equipment in their vests, backpacks and wool saddlebags purchased in local villages.

Making it Happen

Green Berets are known as “the quiet professionals,” highly skilled men who aren’t outspoken about their abilities, but readily adapt to each situation and do whatever is needed to make a mission succeed.

Makela vividly recalls standing with General Dostum and hundreds of Northern Alliance horsemen overlooking a huge gorge and seeing the Taliban forces below.

Their on-site presence allowed the men of ODA 595 to radio coordinates to U.S. pilots in the area to drop JDAMs (bombs that use GPS for increased accuracy) on the enemy’s locations.

“Having eyes on the ground after we arrived made a big difference in the accuracy of these bombs because we could get them better coordinates,” says Makela. “We’d prep the battlefield with bombs and then General Dostum and his men had a better time of it.” He notes that the horses were safely held back during the bombing runs.

“It was like watching history to see this many horsemen fighting. It was an overwhelming experience to witness,” he adds.

Makela will never forget the first village they rode through.

“We got word the Taliban was trying to get out the other side of town, so we were going in at a full gallop,” he says. “The villagers were coming out of their houses and cheering us.”

Horse Care

Depending on where they were needed, the men of ODA 595 rode as long as 10 hours a day and stayed in one place for a day or two.

At night, the Afghan fighters who owned the horses took care of them, but some of the Green Berets offered to help.

“The Afghan horsemen would try to teach us; we saw it as we were all in this together,” says Makela. “Just like taking care of our weapons, we wanted to take care of the horses.”

Grain was put into burlap nose bags for each horse, and the animals were staked out near where the men camped.

The Afghans put handmade blankets on their horses as the windy nights dropped temperatures into the 30s and 40s Fahrenheit.

The horses were tired. Makela remembers pulling guard duty one night and seeing all of them lying flat on their sides to sleep.

The rigorous physical demands of the mission took a toll on men and horses, who all dropped significant weight. Summers started the mission weighing 185 pounds and was down to 143 when he left Afghanistan five weeks later.

Mission Accomplished

A major objective of Task Force Dagger was to capture the Taliban stronghold of Mazar-i-Sharif, one of Afghanistan’s largest cities. Wresting control of the city from the Taliban would allow the U.S. to use its airport for transport of supplies and troops.

On November 10, 2001, ODA 595 and the Northern Alliance succeeded in liberating the city.

After the capture of Mazar-i-Sharif, the men of ODA 595 stayed in safe houses there before shipping out of Afghanistan.

During that short time, some of them watched a buzkashi game. The country’s national sport is a fast-paced, dangerous game in which men on horseback battle for control of a goat carcass, attempting to score points by dropping it into a designated spot on the field of play. To call it a rough version of polo is an understatement.

Hollywood Version of the Green Berets’ Mission

The 2018 movie 12 Strong was promoted as “the declassified true story of the Horse Soldiers.” The movie was based on the New York Times bestseller, “Horse Soldiers: The Extraordinary Story of a Band of U.S. Soldiers Who Rode to Victory in Afghanistan,” by Doug Stanton. (Pseudonyms were used instead of team members’ real names in both the movie and book.)

Although the movie packs an emotional punch, according to the men of ODA 595, it was perhaps 50 percent accurate.

“We led the greatest unconventional warfare campaign of all time, and they turned it into an X-Men video,” says Summers. “The Afghans did ride and shoot off their horses, but we didn’t.” He notes that the climactic scene in which Chris Hemsworth gallops, shooting into the Taliban stronghold, was totally Hollywood, and didn’t go down that way.

“They superimposed a lot of the Afghan deeds on us,” Summers explains. “Our whole job was to take command, utilize the Afghan men, and call in the air strikes. The movie dramatized everything, but the violence towards civilians and women was true; that part was underplayed. The Taliban were intentionally savage.”

In real life, none of the men of ODA 595 were seriously injured or almost died, as the movie portrayed.

The Horse Soldiers have their own book (release date May 17, 2022). Written by team veterans Mark Nutsch and Bob Pennington with Jim DeFelice, “Swords of Lightning: Green Beret Horse Soldiers and America’s Response to 9/11” tells the true story of the mission from men who were there.

Even by Green Beret standards, Task Force Dagger was a unique campaign, combining 21st century technology, communications and weapons with centuries-old horsemanship skills, hand-to-hand combat, and primitive conditions.

“It was like making it to the Super Bowl for us, being in an unconventional warfare environment and not only surviving, but winning,” recalls Summers. “It was amazing seeing the men on my team taking all their skills, talents and strengths and using them for a common good.”

This article about how horses played a role in the Green Berets’ historic mission as horse soldiers appeared in the July 2022 issue of Horse Illustrated magazine. Click here to subscribe!

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Akhal-Teke’s Fascinating History

The ancestors of the Akhal-Teke were treasured in ancient times and used as war horses throughout Eurasia. The Scythian warriors of Central Asia rode Turkoman horses hundreds of years before Christ was born.

Later, the ancient Greeks prized the Turkoman. In fact, some historians believe Alexander the Great’s famous horse Bucephalus carried the blood of this exotic breed.

In the 13th century, Mongol invasions divided the Turkmen into small clans and pushed them into the desert, northward to the plains of Kazakhstan and eastward to the shores of the Caspian Sea. Along with a group of Turkmen, some Turkoman horses became isolated in southern Turkmenistan, far from trade routes.

The Akhal, an isolated oasis surrounded by the Karakum Desert and the towering Kopet Dag mountains, located between Turkmenistan and Iran, became home to the Teke tribe. Here the Teke tribesmen developed the Akhal-Teke, a breed of ancient lineage and great purity derived from the Turkoman horse.

In the centuries that followed, the Akhal-Teke breed remained virtually unchanged as it made its way throughout Central Asia and Russia. The Teke’s nomadic lifestyle required a horse that could travel long distances at a fast pace.

In the 19th century, these horses were incorporated into the Russian Empire, and the Akhal-Teke became treasured for its beauty and athletic abilities.

In 1935, a group of Turkmene people organized to create a long-distance ride that would bring more attention to the Akhal-Teke breed. Mounted on Akhal-Teke stallions, the group rode more than 2,500 miles—from the capital of Turkmenistan (Ashgabat) to Moscow—in 84 days. The desert segment of the ride was 225 miles in length, and the horses completed it in three days with very little water.

By 1941, the first Akhal-Teke studbook was issued by the All Russian Institute of Horse Breeding. The breed was embraced in Russia, and at the end of World War II, Soviet General Zhukov rode an Akhal-Teke stallion named Arab during the Moscow Victory Parade of 1945.

It wasn’t until the 1960s that the Akhal-Teke gained the attention of the rest of the world. In 1960, a black Akhal-Teke stallion named Absent—a son of Arab—won an Olympic gold medal in dressage for the Soviet Union. With his rider Sergei Filatov, Absent went on to win medals in two more Olympic Games.

Akhal-Teke In the USA

The exotic Akhal-Teke did not find its way to the United States until 1979, when Phil and Margot Case of Shenandoah Farm in Virginia imported an Akhal-Teke stallion and mare they had purchased at a Moscow auction.

The Cases used the pair to start their American breeding program, and also created the Akhal-Teke Association of America. The purpose of the association was to establish, maintain and operate a non-profit organization composed of owners, breeders and friends of the Akhal-Teke. Its goal was to preserve and promote the breed in North America.
These many years later, the Akhal-Teke Association of America estimates that upwards of 300 living Akhal-Tekes are currently registered in the U.S. The most popular use for these horses in North America is endurance.

In fact, Akhal-Tekes are making themselves known in endurance and limited-distance rides all over the world. They also compete in eventing, show jumping, dressage, western events, trail and polo.

Akhal-Tekes have a unique metallic sheen to their coats, the result of the structure of the breed’s hair, which bends light as it hits the horse’s coat, giving it a golden cast.
The astounding history and exotic good looks of this breed make it worth exploring. Through the efforts of the Akhal-Teke Association of America, the breed will continue to capture the attention of horse lovers throughout North America.

This article about the Akhal-Teke originally appeared in the September 2020 issue of Horse Illustrated magazine. Click here to subscribe!

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“He is moving like a tremendous machine!”

This moment of Chic Anderson’s call of the 1973 Belmont Stakes is forever etched into history. Under the blue and white checkered silks of Penny Chenery’s Meadow Stables, Secretariat was widening his lead on his rival Sham along the vast final turn at Belmont Park. Having just won the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes, Secretariat was just moments away from an elusive Triple Crown win.

It had been 25 years since American racing had seen a Triple Crown winner. The roar of the crowd was deafening as their hopes rested on “Big Red.” And with each passing stride, the crowd grew louder with confidence as the colt continued to put lengths between him and the rest of the field.

In another iconic moment, Secretariat’s jockey, Ron Turcotte, looked back over his shoulder to see just how far ahead he was of the other horses. It was clear there would be no catching the red colt. To the cheers of an overwhelmed, dazzled crowd, Secretariat crossed the finish line 31 lengths in front – a performance that has never been replicated.

Today marks the 50th anniversary of that historic day. On June 9, 1973, Secretariat stamped himself as the greatest of all time and earned his place as a lifelong favorite in the hearts of racing fans and horse lovers alike. Those titles still stand 50 years later.

Secretariat retired to stud in late 1973, after a career that saw 16 wins from 21 starts – a multitude of graded stakes wins among those victories. In 2023, he still holds the stakes record for the fastest times ever achieved in all three Triple Crown races. His Kentucky Derby time of 1:59.40 for 1 ¼ miles still stands as the track record at Churchill Downs, as does his Belmont Stakes time of 2:24.00 for 1 ½ miles at Belmont Park.

While Secretariat’s career at stud did not quite replicate the brilliance of his racing career, his effect on the bloodlines of the Thoroughbred racehorse is still felt in modern-day breeding. In fact, all nine horses in this year’s Belmont Stakes trace back to Secretariat.

But it remains Secretariat’s racing achievements that are talked of year after year. That has been especially true throughout this year’s Triple Crown, as racing fans celebrate the 50th anniversary of Secretariat’s historic accomplishment. Five decades later, and the impact of Big Red still resonates.

This article about the 50th anniversary of Secrerariat’s Triple Crown is a web exclusive for Horse Illustrated magazine. Click here to subscribe!

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Without equines, we would not have the America we know today.

This is not at all exaggeration. Without the horses, mules, and donkeys that first came to North America, the early colonists would not have been able to survive the harsh climate, the West would not have been settled, farmers in the Midwest would not have been able to survive, and Native Americans would not have developed equestrian-based methods of hunting and warfare without the use of the mighty horse.

The equines of early America were hardy creatures that often had to fend for themselves. The rugged landscape and challenging climates, combined with scarce food and lack of veterinary care, shaped these horses and donkeys into tough, resilient breeds.

Hundreds of years later, the so-called “heritage” equine breeds are under threat. Competition from the tractor and automobile, along with two World Wars, helped wipe out equine populations around the world early in the 20th century. While a number of them survived the industrial age, some fared better than others. The heritage breeds that remain are some of the rarest and hardiest equines in the world.

Today, a handful remain in North America, representing what’s left of the original animals that worked alongside our ancestors, providing them with transportation, help on the farm, and even companionship.

Fight to Preserve

In 1978, an organization called The Conservancy was formed with the purpose of preserving these once common equines, along with other North American livestock. This nonprofit membership association works to protect endangered livestock breeds from extinction and is currently trying to save 150 breeds of cattle, goats, sheep, pigs, rabbits, poultry, horses, and donkeys. Of those 150 breeds of livestock, 37 are equines.

In 2006, the United Nations Food & Agriculture Organization estimated that an average of two domestic animal breeds are lost worldwide each week. In the U.S., The Livestock Conservancy is fighting to stem this tide. One of these efforts spawned the creation of the Endangered Equine Alliance, which held its first summit in 2018.

“The Endangered Equine Summit came about in response to a decades-long decline in horse breed registrations, not only for rare breeds, but also for more popular breeds, like Arabians and Saddlebreds,” says Charlene R. Couch, Ph.D., senior program manager for The Livestock Conservancy. “The economic challenges for all equine breeders are significant, but they are even more so for those who breed endangered horses and donkeys.”

According to Couch, ancient breeds such as the Akhal-Teke and Caspian, which have been human partners for thousands of years, are now gravely endangered.

“Even the iconic Cleveland Bay, Clydesdale, and Lipizzan horses are rare,” she says. “In our lifetime, we may bear witness to equine breed extinction.”

If the history of these breeds isn’t enough to inspire their preservation, their ability to contribute to modern equine gene pools should be.

“Heritage-breed horses are not just useful and beautiful—they are an irreplaceable reservoir of equine genetic diversity,” Couch says. “These animals offer valuable traits that were developed over centuries, such as stamina, unique gaits, hardiness, sound feet, and good skeletal structure. Many were important in the formation of America’s more popular breeds, like the American Quarter Horse. In many cases, the ancestral sources of these heritage breeds no longer exist, and that breed cannot be recreated. They are a true genetic treasure, and every loss could be significant for the future of the horse industry.”

The Endangered Equine Alliance

Shortly after the 2018 Summit, more than 50 equine breed associations, plus scientists, sporting groups, and horse industry representatives united to form the Endangered Equine Alliance. The Livestock Conservancy facilitates the exchange of information among Alliance members and serves as a central outlet for educational resources that support equine breed conservation.

So far, the Alliance has accomplished some significant goals, according to Couch.

“We have created a germplasm bank for endangered horse breeds,” she says. “The collection is a sort of ‘doomsday’ vault of genetic materials for breed conservation emergencies. Through the Alliance’s network, we facilitated the banking of semen from Newfoundland Ponies, the Marsh Tacky, Akhal-Teke, and Caspian horses so far, with other breed collections on the horizon.”

The Alliance has also worked to provide breeders with discounts from companies for semen and tissue collection of endangered equine breeds; published the Manual of Methods for Preservation of Valuable Equine Genetics, designed to help owners learn more about new reproduction technologies and how to use them to save breeds and bloodlines; hosted webinars and question-and-answer sessions with equine experts on DNA testing, advanced reproduction techniques, and marketing; and developed an Endangered Equine Alliance website for sharing articles and links, and a Rare Equine Breeds Facebook group that now has more than 2,000 followers worldwide.

“July has been designated as National Horse Month by The Livestock Conservancy, and throughout the month, we provide social media content and interviews with key individuals in the rare horse breed community,” Couch says. “Since 2018, The Livestock Conservancy has given out seven microgrants for rare horse and donkey-related projects.”

Help from Grants

The first National Endangered Equine Summit was made possible in large part by a grant from the USA Equestrian Trust, which is affiliated with U.S. Equestrian, the national governing body for most equestrian sports in the United States.

“The grant enabled The Livestock Conservancy to bring together representatives of approximately 50 endangered horse breed groups for the first summit,” Couch says. “The delegates to the Summit represented thousands of horse owners, and included participants from the U.S., Canada, and the U.K. The group was tasked with identifying the leading causes of equine breed population declines, and deciding [upon] actions that could be taken to stabilize the loss of breeds.”

Through the support of the USA Equestrian Trust, experts from the greater horse community, including sporting groups, equine-assisted therapy providers, university scientists, and national associations participated in the Summit. Panelists included partners at the American Horse Council, Texas A&M University, Virginia Tech, Uppsala University, the American Endurance Ride Conference, Natural Lifemanship Equine-Assisted Therapy, Rare Breeds Survival Trust/Stallion AI Services (U.K.), the Arabian Horse Association, the National Animal Interest Alliance, and the National Driving Society.

“The vision and support of the USA Equestrian Trust was crucial in bringing together such a wide representation of members of the equine industry,” Couch says. “Together, the participants saw the potential to accomplish great things by uniting in their efforts to conserve endangered equine breeds.”

Ongoing Support

In addition to work by the Endangered Equine Alliance, The Livestock Conservancy conducts an annual census of horse and donkey breeds to monitor their population growth and declines.

“We encourage registration of horses so that their numbers can be counted,” Couch says. “We maintain a large list of breeders and breed associations to help owners and enthusiasts connect with each other, share herd genetics, or collaborate on projects.”

The Conservancy also offers a competitive microgrants program to all heritage livestock and poultry growers, including horse and donkey breeders, to help boost their capacity for breeding, raising, and selling animals. They also assist owners in saving germplasm of valuable, rare bloodlines and individuals from breeds on the Conservation Priority List through discounts, networking, and other resources.

Some current research projects include genetic studies for Suffolk Punch, American Cream Draft horses, and Poitou donkeys, with the goal of uncovering genetic information that will help guide efforts to reduce the risks of inbreeding and support effective conservation.

“The Livestock Conservancy is all about education, research, and networking of owners and breeders so that we can safeguard the future of important breeds,” Couch says. “Together with owners, breeders, and the equine community, we want to move the needle for each breed, and make a meaningful contribution to its long-term survival.”

For more, visit www.livestockconservancy.org/aboutus/endangered-equine-alliance.

Breeds Needing Conservation

The Livestock Conservancy has placed the following horses on its list of critical and threatened endangered breeds:

◆ Akhal-Teke
◆ American Cream Draft
◆ Baca-Chica
◆ Banker
◆ Canadian Horse
◆ Caspian
◆ Choctaw
◆ Cleveland Bay
◆ Clydesdale
◆ Colonial Spanish Mustang
◆ Dales Pony
◆ Dartmoor
◆ Fell Pony
◆ Florida Cracker
◆ Galiceño
◆ Hackney Horse
◆ Highland Pony
◆ Irish Draught
◆ Lipizzan
◆ Marsh Tacky
◆ Newfoundland Pony
◆ Puerto Rican Paso Fino
◆ Rocky Mountain
◆ Santa Cruz
◆ Shire
◆ Suffolk Punch
◆ Sulphur
◆ Wilbur-Cruce

This article about endangered equine breeds appeared in the March 2022 issue of Horse Illustrated magazine. Click here to subscribe!

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Deep History of the Arabian Horse

Perhaps the Arabian horse’s legendary history is part of what has contributed to its popularity.

“The Arabian horse was used as an ambassador and was often given as a treasured gift to royalty or important political figures,” says Susan Meyer, vice president at large of the Arabian Horse Association, vice president of the Arabian Jockey Club and a trustee of the Purebred Arabian Trust. She and her husband, Jim, have owned and operated Meyercrest Arabians in North Carolina for 39 years, and have owned, bred and shown horses to championships at the local, regional and national level. They have also owned, bred and raced purebred Arabians across the United States.

“Arabians were also prized as spoils of war, and many governments established purebred breeding programs of their own,” continues Meyer. “As a result, almost all Arabian pedigrees can be traced back to a horse that was part of a historical event or figure. This link with history is a fun and exciting part of owning an Arabian horse.”

Despite the Arabian horse’s long and alluring history, it’s incredible that the breed has remained so true to its original physical traits, and that it has been able to perpetuate those qualities for so long.

Although the specific area of the Arabian Peninsula where the breed originated can’t be pinpointed, it is widely accepted that around 2500 B.C., the Bedouin people were responsible for developing the desert horses that became the ancestors of the Arabian horse. The nomads’ keen horse sense and meticulous attention to proper care and breeding created an animal that could withstand the harsh environment of the desert, surviving extreme heat and cold with little water and the food they shared with their handlers. A life of travel also required horses with great lung capacity, endurance and stamina.

Fascinating Facts

Many of the Arabian’s characteristics have an ancient religious or superstitious belief attached to them. These traits were highly sought after and became the focus of the Bedouins’ selective breeding practices.

• Jibbah: The bulging forehead was considered a blessing from God. The Bedouins believed that the larger an Arabian’s forehead, the more blessings he brought with him.
• Mitbah: The area where the head attaches to the neck—behind the ears along the topline of the neck and the throatlatch. The Mitbah symbolized courage.
• The Arabian was also prized for a petite, refined muzzle that could “fit into a teacup.”

In addition to wealth and good luck, most of the Arabian’s traits have a significant physical benefit. For instance, the short, dished head and flaring nostrils promote optimum oxygen intake. Furthermore, the Mitbah’s long, fine characteristics prevent the windpipe from being constricted when the head is in a collected frame, which promotes the free flowing of oxygen to the lungs at all times. And the deep chest and wide ribcage permit lung expansion.

• The breed’s Arabian name “Kohl-ani” is a reference to its eyes and skin. The smooth skin is the color of Kohl, a bluish-black substance that was used in Egypt in ancient times as eyeliner and eye shadow.
• Mares were prized over stallions because they perpetuated the breed. They were also preferred for war because they wouldn’t nicker to the enemy’s mounts during raids. Mares were so valued that they were rarely sold. If they changed owners, it was considered a very honorable gift

“The Bedouins and their horses depended on each other for survival, and this interdependency created a very strong human-animal bond,” says Meyer. “Also, only the soundest, most trainable and hardiest individuals survived and bred on. The Bedouins recognized the importance of preserving the attributes that they depended on so much, and their selective breeding practices concentrated on the positive attributes of individual lines. Because of this concentration of blood, even today’s Arabians are able to consistently and predictably pass on their abilities to their offspring. This makes them highly prized as breeding animals.”

Cultural Influence

The Arabian’s physical traits and ability to pass them on to other horse breeds became a major force behind its appeal to other societies in history. About 3,500 years ago, the Arabian helped expand empires such as Egypt and shaped cultures by influencing the horses that were used to settle nations, fight wars and grow economies.

When Arabia worked to spread Islam in 600 A.D., the Arabian horse carried Arab warriors throughout the Middle East and as far as North Africa, Spain and China. Through this effort, and as a result of the expansive Christian Crusades during the 11th and 13th centuries, the Arabian horse began leaving its mark on European horses. It added refinement to heavier draft breeds and height to smaller ponies.

However, its greatest influence was likely that of developing the English Thoroughbred. Three stallions—the Godolphin Barb, Darley Arabian, and Byerly Turk—are credited with being the foundation sires of the Thoroughbred breed between the late 1600s and mid-1700s. Today, the majority of Thoroughbreds can be traced to one of these sires. In turn, the Thoroughbred added to the influence of the Arabian by passing on the traits it inherited from this ancient horse to many other breeds, particularly the American Quarter Horse.

“The Arabian has demonstrated a unique ability to consistently pass on its desirable traits,” says Meyer. “For centuries, nearly all light horse breeds and some draft and warmblood breeds have used the Arabian horse to develop or improve their breed. The Arabian’s ability to influence other breeds is well demonstrated by today’s Thoroughbred racehorses. Genetic testing has proven that 95 percent of all modern Thoroughbred racehorses trace to [one of these foundation] stallions. The mighty Secretariat traced to all three of the foundation stallions.”

Rise and Fall of the Arabian Horse in History

In the 1800s, influential Arabian stud farms were established all over Europe. The historic Crabbet Arabian Stud in England, founded by 15th Baroness Wentworth Lady Anne Blunt and her husband, Wilfred Blunt, produced horses that contributed to the spread of the Arabian breed to Russia, Poland, Australia, Egypt, and North and South America.

In the United States, Randolph Huntington started what is considered to be the first purebred Arabian horse breeding program in history, established in 1888. Later, 45 Arabian horses exhibited at the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair inspired further interest in the breed in America. This led to the formation of the first stud book and the Arabian Horse Club of America registry in 1908, now known as the Arabian Horse Association. Subsequent breeding farms and importations in the early and mid-1920s led to further growth of the breed in the United States. Davenport Arabians and Kellogg Ranch, which was established by cereal tycoon W.K. Kellogg, were two of the breeding farms that moved to the forefront of the industry at that time.

“In the late 1800s and early 1900s, several wealthy American entrepreneurs became enthralled with the history, beauty, athletic ability and unique human-animal bond that the Arabian horse represented,” says Meyer. “They began importing Arabian horses from the Middle East and Europe. These horses were not only used to cross with indigenous horses, but they were also used to establish herds of breeding stock to preserve a source of purebred Arabians here in the United States.

“In the 1960s, 70s and 80s, the large inventory of purebred Arabians that were the result of these breeding programs enabled the Arabian to become affordable for the average American family, and the same attributes that attracted the early breeders to the Arabian made them extremely attractive to American families,” continues Meyer. “During that time period, more than 30,000 purebred Arabian foals were born every year. These were unprecedented numbers that far exceeded any other country, and as a result, there are as many registered Arabian horses in the United States as nearly all other countries combined.”

An unfortunate result of this boom in the U.S. Arabian population was a severe downturn in its popularity during the 1980s. Changes in the economy and indiscriminate breeding gave rise to misconceptions that left reputable breeders and promoters disheartened and struggling to pick up the pieces.

“After the breed became extremely affordable, it was also embraced by many celebrities, and the most valued breeding stock and show horses sold for astronomical amounts,” says Meyer. “These were the horses with the highest profiles and the stories that were most often publicized, so the perception that Arabians are extremely expensive still persists. However, Arabian horses run the gamut of price ranges, and the vast majority of them are as affordable as any breed.”

Making a Comeback

A new focus in the 1990s on ability and promoting the Arabian as an all-around performer and family horse helped launch a resurgence for the breed after its rich history. Because of this, Arabian horse owners enjoy participating in various equestrian sports today, from reining to dressage. The breed particularly excels in endurance and trail riding.

“Many people in the modern dressage world value Arabian blood to bring lightness and suppleness to their horses,” says Meyer. “Even working western disciplines appreciate the endurance that Arabians can add to their horses that must work long hours over rough terrain. And in distance riding events, the Arabian is king. All of the major distance events are dominated by Arabians.”

The Arabian also continues to fight an enduring misconception about being high-strung, which has a lot to do with the breed’s past, says Meyer.

“The most prized horses of the Bedouins were the mares that were used in raiding other tribes,” explains Meyer. “A mare not only had to be unfailingly loyal to her master, but she also had to be fierce and courageous in battle. The uninformed can believe Arabians are naturally aggressive, when in fact, these traits are learned behaviors.

“The natural brilliance that the Arabian displays while at play has been emphasized in the show-ring in the halter division,” adds Meyer. “This learned behavior has only perpetuated the myth that the Arabian is flighty and nervous. This isn’t the way the Arabian deports itself day in and day out. The Arabian was the original family horse and is still an ideal horse for families today.”

A Bright Future

With so many qualities and rich history to admire about the Arabian horse and an exhibit such as the Arabian Galleries to promote it, the breed can look forward to maintaining its popularity in the horse community, according to Meyer.

“The same qualities that propelled the Arabian horse throughout the world are what ensure its longevity and continued popularity,” she explains. “The Arabian has proven that it has the ability to adapt and be successful. One horse can serve as a mount for [adults] and children in multiple disciplines. In today’s economy, with ever increasing pressures on space and the environment, the ability to serve multiple demands bodes well for the Arabian breed.”

Meyer believes two trends that have made their way into the Arabian horse industry will propel the breed into a successful future that will build upon its expansive history.

“Probably one of the most significant new trends has been the natural horsemanship approach to training,” says Meyer. “It’s especially suited to the Arabian personality. Arabians are naturally curious and interested in people, and particularly enjoy the interaction that is so important in this type of training. Arabians learn much faster and are easier to deal with using this approach versus other methods of training that depend more on negative reinforcement.”

Like most attributes about the Arabian horse, Meyer says this inclination toward natural horsemanship is linked to the breed’s past. “Because Arabians had to live among the Bedouin families, even residing in the tents with them at times, they had to be particularly docile and tractable,” explains Meyer. “The foals were weaned only a few days after birth and were raised by the women and children on camel’s milk and dates. The foals’ lives depended on their bond with humans, and over the centuries, the foals that had this affinity for connecting with humans have been the ones that bred on. The natural horsemanship methods allow this connection to develop to a very high level.”

Meyer says another trend that has secured the Arabian’s top position in the horse industry is the baby boomers’ growing interest in riding, and their desire for suitable mounts that are both athletic and reliable.

“The Arabian’s sensitivity and athletic abilities are particularly suited to the athletic challenges that the mature rider deals with, particularly in competitive disciplines,” says Meyer. “The strength and stamina of the rider is not as crucial when riding Arabians, as they are so easy to collect and maneuver.”

With an appeal that has drawn people of so many different backgrounds to the Arabian horse over the ages, the breed is sure to continue its influential role for a long time
to come.

Part II: A Fitting Tribute to the Arabian Horse >>
The Enduring Arabian >>
Question of the Week: Skinny Lesson Horse>>

This article about the history of the Arabian horse originally appeared in the January 2011 issue of Horse Illustrated. Click here to subscribe.

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Smooth gaits, a sweet temperament and a uniquely American history: All these characteristics belong to a special equine breed known as the Rocky Mountain Horse.

Despite its name, the Rocky hails from the American South. A gaited horse that developed in the Appalachian Mountains of Kentucky in the early 20th century, it is considered a rare breed.

The story of the breed begins in the Bluegrass State in the late 1800s. Legend has it that a young stallion from the Rocky Mountains was brought to Eastern Kentucky, where he was bred to a group of local mares. The resulting foals turned out to be special horses with a four-beat gait, exceptional temperaments and chocolate-brown coloring with flaxen manes and tails. Because these horses were isolated in the remote Appalachians, these traits became more clearly defined over time, and a distinct breed developed.

Kept by Appalachian farmers who worked hard to make ends meet, these horses performed a variety of tasks, including plowing fields, herding cattle and pulling buggies. They worked every day, and sometimes even had to find their own food when times were tough. The result was a resilient breed where only the hardiest survived.

In 1918, a man named Sam Tuttle purchased his first Rocky Mountain Horse and went on to become the most influential shaper of the breed. Tuttle ran a riding concession at the Kentucky Natural Bridge Park and used Rocky Mountain Horses as trail mounts for guests, exposing the breed too many visitors.

One of his horses was a stallion named Tobe, who became the breed’s primary foundation stallion. At the time, Rocky Mountain Horses were still being used on Kentucky farms, working hard to help local farmers till their land and get from one place to another.

But the advent of technology began to affect the breed’s numbers. Trucks and tractors began replacing horses on farms. By the mid-1980s, not many Rocky Mountain Horses were left.

It was around this time that Rea Swan, a fancier of the breed, set out to save the breed from imminent extinction. Swan first discovered the Rocky Mountain Horse at Tuttle’s Kentucky Natural Bridge State Park concession when she visited the park as a child. She began to track down individual Rocky Mountain Horses that were scattered throughout Kentucky, Indiana and Ohio, and sought to bring together people who loved and cared about the breed.

In 1986, as a result of her efforts, the Rocky Mountain Horse Association (RMHA) was formed. The organization’s objective was to record the breed’s history and register the remaining Rocky Mountain Horses and their future progeny.

Today, 26,000 registered Rocky Mountain Horses are in the United States, and their numbers are growing.

Versatility Plus

People who love the breed have no problem explaining why. “Versatile,” “people-oriented” and “smooth to ride” are frequent terms they use to describe this breed.

The most popular job for Rocky Mountain Horses these days is as a trail horse. Given the breed’s history, this makes perfect sense. Not only are Rockies easy to ride because of their smooth lateral gaits, they are also surefooted—the result of decades on the rugged Appalachian trails.

These horses also excel in competition. They are currently being shown in everything from endurance and team penning to show jumping and gaited dressage. Carriage driving, saddle seat and even mounted shooting are all successful disciplines for the Rocky Mountain Horse.

Because of their gentle temperament and their desire to please, Rockies are also popular as mounts for first-time horse owners. Their forgiving, quiet nature makes them a good choice for both children and adults just learning to ride and handle a horse.

Although the Livestock Conservancy lists the Rocky Mountain Horse in its catalog of rare breeds, the RMHA is working hard to expand the breed’s popularity. The association supports several programs to encourage use of these horses, including a show program, a versatility program, and the RMHA Trail Mileage Program. Each program features year-end awards for the horses with the most accomplishments in each area.

The RMHA’s motto for the breed is “one horse for all occasions.” Given the Rocky Mountain Horse’s enduring versatility and willingness to please, this seems to be the perfect description.

Fast Facts Height: 14 to 16 hands Color: Any solid horse color Overall Appearance: Medium boned; wide, deep chest; sloping shoulders. Bold eyes with face neither dished or convex, and medium in size. Neck medium length and gracefully arched. Learn more by visiting the Rocky Mountain Horse Association.

This article about the Rocky Mountain horse originally appeared in the August 2021 issue of Horse Illustrated magazine. Click here to subscribe!

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For some breeds, this shift toward specialization began to occur in the 1980s and saw horses bred to compete in specific disciplines rather than in the majority of classes at a show. For those with an interest in competing at the highest levels, it became necessary to have a different horse for each discipline.

What Caused The Shift

“I think you see specialization more with the larger stock horse breeds, such as Quarter Horses, Paints, et cetera, than you do with many other breeds,” says David Brewer, a carded Pony of the Americas (POA) judge with an extensive background in stock horse breeds.

Brewer has judged multiple state and national shows for a variety of breeds, has been an Intercollegiate Horse Shows Association show steward, is a clinician, and is also a coach for 4-H Horse Judging and Hippology teams. For the past 15 years, he’s bred and shown Congress and World Champion POAs, and now Paint horses, from his Morning Star Farm in Monteagle, Tenn.

“The shift started when more people became interested in breeding halter horses,” he says. “At that time, many of these horses, while successful in halter classes, never went on to do anything else. More than anything, this changed the industry standard.”

Brewer says that at one time it was unheard of to see a 17-hand Quarter Horse, but now it’s very common.

“Very few of these horses cross over into pleasure classes because they can’t slow down enough to be competitive,” he says.

Even though it’s smaller in stature, the POA breed has not been immune to this shift.
“In the 1990s, POAs began to see a similar shift toward specialization as Quarter Horses began to influence the breed,” Brewer says. However, the shift has not been as extreme. “A vast majority of POAs still compete in the all-around and do well.”

Positives and Negatives

As with most trends, there are positives and negatives to the change. In terms of breed registration numbers, owner numbers, and interest in exhibiting, Brewer says that specialization has not necessarily hurt—and may have even increased those figures.

“It has increased the number of exhibitors at shows because competitors are bringing in multiple horses for different classes,” he says. “Shows are growing because they are adding additional class divisions.”

Critics of specialization say that such intense breeding practices have had a damaging effect on horse health, particularly when large-framed animals are supported by tiny feet and legs. Brewer, however, has mixed feeling on the matter.

“For a while, I think there was a disregard among some breeders who bred along genetic defects for the sake of winning,” he says. “Those defects affected the longevity of those horses. Many of them also needed special care as they aged. Any large-framed horse needs to be bred to have the balance and structure to support that frame.”

Fortunately, this trend has been recognized, and breeders are beginning to shift back toward correctly conformed horses that can have careers beyond halter classes.

But other detractors say that supporting multiple horses is another challenge.

“It’s a lot more expensive for the owners in terms of the higher purchase price of the horses that you need to be competitive at national-level events,” Brewer says. In addition to the more costly standard of care that show horses often require, competing at these larger shows also carries a higher price tag.

A Place for Both Types

Unless you intend to compete at the highest levels of the sport, all is not lost.

“Riders just starting [out] should begin by selecting for temperament, usability and their budget, rather than a specific discipline,” Brewer says. “Walk/trot classes have been very good for the industry because these are usually [entered on] very budget-friendly horses. You should focus on selecting a horse with a been-there, done-that attitude suitable for both adult and youth riders. You can always move up later.”

Specialization within horse breeds appears to be here to stay. But the good news is that, whether you are a fan or a critic, there’s a place in the horse world for everyone.

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During Medieval times, a horse’s main job was to carry men into battle during wartime and to pull carriages during times of peace. If you had good horses, you had everything you needed, during both war and peace.

In the mid-1500s, Austrian Archduke Charles II, ruler of Inner Austria, sought to create a special breed of horse. He imported Andalusian horses, Berbers and Barbs from Spain and crossed them with a now-extinct breed called the Karst, a rugged, high-stepping, light gray horse native to Austria. Charles’ brother, Maximilian II, the Holy Roman Emperor, also founded a stud at Kladrub in Austria (which is now part of the Czech Republic) with the same goal, and used Spanish breeds crossed with local horses. The elegant and powerful horses that resulted—eventually called Lipizzans—became heavy carriage horses at the Kladruby stud, and riding and light carriage horses at the Lipizza Stud of the Hapsburg monarchy.

The brothers exchanged breeding stock at times, crossing the lines to create aristocratic animals that were more than just war and work horses; they were partners in what had become the highly revered art of classical riding, which combined maneuvers used in battle with exercises that emphasized the horse’s athletic ability and obedience to the rider.

Charles and Maximilian were members of the Hapsburg family, rulers of the most influential monarchy in European history. Connoisseurs of fine horses, the brothers created the Lipizzan breed for their own use. In response to the growing admiration for classical riding during the Renaissance among the aristocracy, the Hapsburg family established the Spanish Riding School in Vienna to teach horses and riders these fine skills. Over the next two centuries, more Spanish and Arabian blood was infused into the breed to help strengthen the Lipizzan’s foundation breeding.

Six of the stallions used during the 18th and 19th century established the family lines still seen in the Lipizzan today. These stallions—Conversano, Favory, Maestoso, Neopolitano, Pluto and Siglavy—all came from lines that originated outside of Austria. To this day, Lipizzans are marked with an ancestral brand representing their family line.

Modern Breed

Many people think of Lipizzans as an exotic horse of the past, famous for its performances at the Spanish Riding School. The truth is that purebred Lipizzans are alive and well in today’s horse world, with more than 900 registered in the United States. These horses are competing in a variety of sports. In Eastern Europe, they are considered the premier driving horse.

It’s rare to see a Lipizzan in the U.S. because their numbers are small, so to help raise awareness of the breed, the United States Lipizzan Foundation (USLF) is working hard by using a comprehensive social media and advertising campaign meant to get the word out. The organization hopes to show that these horses, while they have a rich and fascinating history, have a place in modern competition.

“We feel these horses have a lot of abilities beyond the noncompetitive classical dressage you see in the Spanish Riding School,” says Sam Martinson, vice president of the USLF. “They have always been very successful in dressage competition. Many amateurs are now looking for an athletic horse of smaller stature who can compete at the top levels of the sport, which Lipizzans can do because the collection is so easy for them.”

She notes in 2020 alone, U.S. Lipizzan riders were at the top of their sports in dressage, driving, working equitation, mounted archery and western dressage.

“This is really something if you consider our population numbers and how few horses we have competing,” says Martinson.

Don’t be surprised if you see a Lipizzan the next time you attend a local dressage, driving or working equitation event.

“In recent years, there’s been a great deal of interest in both breeding these horses and buyers looking to purchase them for sport,” says Martinson. “We are excited to see people recognize the incredible athletic ability, temperament and trainability of a breed that has 500 years of careful breeding behind it.”

This article about the Lipizzan horses appeared in the June 2021 issue of Horse Illustrated magazine. Click here to subscribe!

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A Pakistani man pours jet-black lumps of coal into oversized sacks strapped to the back of his little white donkey as they prepare to haul coal out of a mine. He shares how much he depends on his equine partner: “If I lose my donkey, I lose everything.”

“The only thing that matters to me is that my animals have enough food for the summer; that season is hard and it’s extremely difficult to find food for them,” says Elba.

A family in Kenya keeps a small male donkey. He hauls water, food, and supplies and helps them till the soil. Without him, the family will be severely challenged, and they don’t have the money to purchase another equine.

They wake one morning to find their donkey gone—likely stolen to be slaughtered for his hide, which will be traded on the black market in Asia. The family is devastated beyond words.

These and hundreds of thousands of similar stories are a way of life in Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East. While working equines in the U.S., Canada, and Western Europe are more of a novelty than the norm today, there are still many areas of the world in which humans rely heavily on their four-legged helpers to earn a subsistence living.

An estimated 100 million working horses, donkeys, and mules around the world support approximately 600 million people. These animals toil under the harshest conditions in some of the poorest countries on the planet. The international equine charity, Brooke, and its affiliate organizations including Brooke USA, have been helping these hard-working animals—and the humans that depend on them—for over 80 years.

The Origin of Brooke and Welfare for Working Horses

Brooke, which is based in Great Britain, is now the leading global welfare organization for working horses. It was established due to the efforts of the charity’s namesake, Dorothy Brooke.

In 1930, her husband, British Army Major General Geoffrey Brooke, was sent for duty in Egypt. She accompanied him, and they arrived in Cairo to find hundreds of ex-military horses from the British, Australian and American Armies had been left behind after World War I. These working horses had been sold to locals and were enduring incredibly difficult working conditions, with most being of advanced age, emaciated and infirm.

Brooke set out to buy back these working horses so that they could be either rehabilitated or humanely euthanized, depending on the individual horse’s best interest. In 1931, she raised the equivalent of 20,000 British pounds in today’s money (about $28,000 USD) through public fundraising spurred by writing a letter to the editor of The Morning Post in London (now The Daily Telegraph). By 1934, she had purchased the freedom of 5,000 ex-war horses.

Realizing that there were still thousands of other working horses, donkeys, and mules in Egypt, that same year she established Old War Horse Memorial Hospital in Cairo (later called the Brooke Hospital for Animals), with the promise of free veterinary care. Brooke also worked to establish shade shelters and watering stations for Cairo’s working animals, and by 1938, the hospital also had a motorized equine ambulance.

Over the next 80-plus years, Brooke expanded their mission to many other countries and opened more hospitals and shelters, although they do not set up traditional clinics now. Today they continue to provide training and support to animal owners and equine industry service providers.

Additionally, Brooke and Brooke USA assist during national disasters such as floods, droughts, earthquakes, and wildfires. In 2016, Brooke passed the milestone of reaching two million working equines thus far.

They have also expanded into university research and community projects, as well as working to influence governmental policy. In the summer of 2019, Brooke was officially recognized by the United Nations as an accredited UN Environment Program.

Helping Working Horses and Their People

The overriding principle that guides Brooke and Brooke USA charitable work is to teach the people in a particular country the value of keeping horses healthy, and to help those human caretakers understand that healthy horses work better, live longer, and thus can support their humans in a more sustainable way.

This often requires doing away with traditional practices, which are ineffective and occasionally cruel, and unlocking the underlying human compassion for horses that can be lost in the difficulty of subsistence living and geopolitical struggles.

Rather than just handing out money and leaving an area, Brooke provides education, supplies, and assistance not only to working horse owners, but also to locally based veterinarians, paraveterinary workers (veterinary technicians), farriers, feed suppliers, and those who make and repair tack and horse-drawn vehicles.

By utilizing these in-country professionals, who are known by the local population, positive change in creating welfare for working horses is more likely to take hold and last in the lives of at-risk animals and their owners. It’s a win-win for everyone; not only do the equine owners earn a better living and the horses lead happier lives, but industry service providers learn new, valuable skills. Brooke has also learned that targeting education about animal care toward women and children in a community is an effective tool.

The Launch of Brooke USA

In 2008, Brooke USA was originally chartered as American Friends of the Brooke and then relaunched in 2015 as Brooke USA. With their main offices in Lexington, KY., Brooke USA’s mission is to help working horses in Africa, Asia, the Middle East, the Americas, and the Caribbean.

Katherine Kaneb, current Brooke USA Board of Directors Chair, feels it is their responsibility to make sure funds received from donors are put to good use, and explains they are careful in the selection of programs to fund.

“We know that healthy, cared-for equines lead to a better life for humans,” says Kaneb. “In addition to our ability to initiate and fund our own programming and advocacy efforts within the Americas, our business model focuses on granting funds to nonprofit organizations that are already making a difference so we can magnify their impact, or supporting nonprofits that present us unique, well thought-out programs that creatively reach underserved communities.”

One current project is fundraising to purchase small plots of land in Nicaragua that will serve as training units for forage production and storage. In addition to work in other countries, Brooke USA has recently worked in the U.S. on COVID-19 relief funding and helped with natural disasters in Texas and on the West Coast.

How to Help Provide Welfare for Working Horses

If your interest is piqued and you’d like to find ways to further Brooke USA’s mission, here are some ways you can help:

◆ Donate to the cause. Donations to recognize a loved one, favorite equine, or business are a fulfilling way to gift and give back at the same time.
◆ Host a fundraiser. Brooke USA will provide brochures, donation boxes and ideas for hosting an event.
◆ Spread the word in the equestrian community and beyond.
◆ Be an advocate for Brooke USA’s mission to legislators.
◆ Teach humane treatment and welfare for all living creatures to the next generation.

Notable Ambassadors A number of top equestrians from many disciplines work as Brooke USA ambassadors, advocating welfare for working horses. Three shared why they decided to join: Olympic dressage rider Allison Brock, champion show jumper Hannah Selleck, and five-star eventer Allison Springer. Brock rode the stallion Rosevelt on the bronze medal-winning U.S. Olympic Team in 2016. “I became involved with Brooke USA through my employers, who are huge contributors and advocates of Brooke USA. It’s a charity that any equestrian can get behind wholeheartedly, because when you take care of donkeys, you take care of people.” Selleck, who competes in top-level jumping and breeds sport horses, shares her story. “I was introduced to Brooke USA by a friend, and I immediately fell in love with the mission of helping working equines in the developing world and the people who depend on them. More importantly, I thought I could help by bringing awareness to their projects.” Springer, who with long-time partner Arthur served as an alternate for the U.S. Eventing Team for the 2012 London Olympic Games, also believes deeply in Brooke USA’s mission. “I joined forces with Brooke USA as a celebrity bartender for an event at the Tryon International Equestrian Center in 2017. This gave me an opportunity to learn more about the mission. Many of my friends are deeply involved too. I was very honored when asked to become a Brooke USA ambassador.

 

This article about welfare for working horses appeared in the July 2021 issue of Horse Illustrated magazine. Click here to subscribe!

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