Saddle Up During National Day of the Horse!

December 12, 2020

Sage the horseSage is currently available for adoption from the Humane Society of North Texas.

Every December 13 is recognized as National Day of the Horse, and there’s no better way to honor this special day than to find a horse to celebrate with. If you’ve been harboring dreams of interacting with horses or learning to ride, we encourage you to saddle up and get involved with horses—either in person or virtually!

How? We’re glad you asked! We’ve compiled six options for interacting with horses:

  1. Start taking riding lessons! There are thousands of riding instructors and lesson barns around the country that specialize in teaching beginners of all ages how to ride and care for horses. One of the ASPCA’s Right Horse Partners, the Certified Horsemanship Association, has a great online resource for finding certified instructors in your community.
  2. Volunteer at your local horse adoption group. Equine adoption organizations often need volunteer help, and will provide opportunities to learn about and interact with horses. Depending on your experience, you may be put straight to work grooming and caring for horses. If you’re newer to working with these animals, they may provide you with horse-handling lessons. Find an ASPCA Right Horse Partner in your area and contact them to get started.
  3. Do you like to use your voice for good and effect change in your community? We’re seeking local advocates like you who are willing to step up for horses by actively participating in advocacy work right where you live! If you’re passionate about protecting horses, get involved and make an impact by signing up to become an ASPCA Horse Action Team volunteer advocate.
  4. If you want to learn more about the exciting world of equine adoption from the comfort of your own home, check out our Hooftober resource library. Earlier in 2020, during an event we dubbed Hooftober, ASPCA’s Right Horse Adoption Partners put together a series of videos introducing equine adoption by taking viewers behind the scenes at their facilities and introducing them to their adoptable herds.
  5. If you’re the type of person who likes to jump in with both feet, adopt a horse! That’s right—adopt! Adoption is for everyone, whether you’ve had years of horse experience or are brand new to horses. Our Right Horse Adoption partners are experts at welcoming first-time horse owners and provide adopters with lifelong support.
  6. Not everyone can adopt, but anyone can help get a horse adopted. If you’re an advocate for animals online, use your voice to help connect the right person to the #RightHorse by sharing adoptable horse listings from My Right Horse with your digital circle. You have the power to increase the visibility of adoptable horses and help them find homes quicker, which ultimately frees up critical resources at the rescue and allows additional at-risk horses receive help. By helping one horse get adopted, you’re helping multiple horses!

Whether you head out to a local barn or meet a horse online, we hope you’ll join us in celebrating equine adoption and National Day of the Horse. Follow our equine adoption program, The Right Horse Initiative, on Facebook and Instagram to stay up to date with our equine work and to join us in making a positive difference for horses.