Ode to Horses

There was a time, before ye olde automobile, when horses were essential to our nation’s prosperity and development. Humans depended on horses far more than they depended on us, but no one was looking out for their welfare. The creation of the ASPCA in 1866 sought to remedy that, and we’ve been advocating for horses ever since.

Today, many Americans have never had the opportunity to interact with a horse—but while these noble animals may be out of sight for some, they are never “out of mind” for us. We are proud of our roots and successes, and regard the horse not only as an extremely intelligent, sensitive animal, but as an American icon.

Whether your home is a 50-acre farm or a 50th-floor apartment, you can help horses! Please visit our main website to see the top ten ways to help horses.

Horse Behavior Q & A: Pony With a Bad Attitude

My old pony recently started giving me a really bad attitude, like threatening to bite and pinning her ears back. She doesn’t show any signs of being sick. What did I do?
—Amber

What a great question! The first step is to get a thorough checkup from a qualified veterinarian. As you correctly implied, abrupt behavioral changes are often related to physical issues. Pinning ears, evading physical contact and similar behaviors can be signs of pain, often in a pony’s back or legs.

Our expert answers more questions:

- Does it hurt horses to have people ride them?