December 13, 2012 - National Day of the Horse

It's National Day of the Horse!!  Have you hugged your horse today?  ~Declan

National Day of the Horse

By MaryAnn Myers, Yahoo! Contributor NetworkTuesday, Dec 13, 2011

Simply put, the "National Day of the Horse" was declared to pay homage to the contribution the horse has played in the history of the United States of America. The horse is linked to battles fought, to celebrations; what would a parade be without horses? The horse industry plays a huge part in the nation's economy to the tune of well over a hundred billion dollars each year. We need the horses, but perhaps even more importantly, the horses need us.

"Malaki" MaryAnn Myers

Horses rely on us for their care. Even the wild horses, which are dwindling in numbers, rely on us for their well-being. This is not a romantic notion, this is a fact. Without the horse, we would not be where we are today. Some might argue we have forgotten just how important the horse is to man. Some might even say we are taking a step backwards in our feelings toward the horse. The horse slaughter issue is unfortunately once again on the forefront. There are also wild-horse herding practices under fire for the danger it poses to the horses.

With the vastness of land in this country, surely there is room for wild horses. Surely there is compassion for the horse. Triple Crown winners capture our hearts, we dream of the Chincoteague ponies, we cry when a work horse falls. We love our horses.

We eagerly await the latest Clydesdale commercials, we fill the stands at horse shows. We haul warm water out to the horses on cold winter nights. We remember the cavalry. When presidents die, the riderless horse depicts honor, boots backwards in the stirrups. The beauty of mounted police take our breath away. As Americans, we take pride in our equestrian heritage, rightfully so. Happy National Day of the Horse!

MaryAnn Myers is an equestrian, horse trainer, and environmentalist. She lives on an organic farm with her family in Northeast Ohio. She is the author of the bestselling equestrian novel, "Favored to Win."