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ASPCA Horse Protection History
An ongoing timeline of the ASPCA’s work to protect the venerable equine.
“The horse, what does he get for his prodigious services to
us, more than blows, neglect, and starvation?”
—ASPCA Founder Henry Bergh
The ASPCA began operation on April 10, 1866. The official seal, commissioned by Henry Bergh, depicts a fallen cart horse protected from a cruel driver by a winged guardian. In her left hand she carries the sword of justice, lest the driver ignore her appeal for mercy.
In 1867, the society’s second year, the ASPCA introduced the first horse ambulance—even before ambulances for humans were in use. Ten water fountains for horses were installed in the city at a time when it was common for horses to collapse and die from dehydration and heat exhaustion in the summer.
In 1875, the ASPCA developed the horse rescue sling. Our first hospital was a dispensary for horses. We pioneered the use of anesthesia in horses and other animals in 1918, and conducted the first operation on a horse with a broken kneecap.
More than 70 years ago, the Maclay Finals of the National Horse Show were founded by an ASPCA board member to “emphasize to young riders the importance of kindness and gentleness to their mounts.” In 1952, we helped develop rules adopted by what was then the American Horse Shows Association.
In 1989, we overcame vigorous opposition to get Local Law 89 passed to better protect New York City’s carriage horses. This legislation restricted the horses to Central Park during the day. Unfortunately, it was designed to expire, and many of the gains were reversed in 1994 with the passage of the current law.
In 1999, when we proposed comprehensive new legislation to improve the lives of New York’s carriage horses, no one on the city council would introduce it. In the summer of 2000, after 21 horses died in a fire at a riding stable in Brooklyn, we asked the city to improve fire safety measures at the old carriage stables in Manhattan. Nothing changed.
The ASPCA Equine Fund, originally called the Lucky Fund, was created in 1996 to help foals from the PMU industry. Lucky was a “Premarin” foal who found a home at Green Chimneys, a residential rehabilitation program for orphaned animals and at-risk children north of New York City. Our fund has since helped many horses in various ways, from bringing food and water to wild horses in drought conditions to helping reputable horse rescue organizations handle emergencies or increase their capacity. Hundreds of horses have been saved and placed in good homes with our assistance.
For more on the Equine Fund, click here.
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