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NEWS OF THE WEST

Entries in National Day of the Horse (1)

Tuesday
Dec132011

Unbridled Enthusiasm

By Bennett Owen

December 13th is the ‘National Day of the Horse’ in the US.  Yes, we realize you weren’t aware of that fact. That’s why My-West is here!

Shepherd with his horse and dog on Gravelly Range, Madison County, Montana. Credit: Library of Congress

The congressional resolution reads in part:

“Whereas the horse is a living link to the history of the United States;

Whereas, without horses, the economy, history, and character of the United States would be profoundly different;”

Credit: Library of Congress

Don’t you just savor those rare occasions when our lawmakers actually get something right?

Credit: Library of Congress

Our Friends at Horsechannel.com have come up with an interesting list of contributions horses make to our way of life, including:

  • There are 9.2 million horses in the United States.
  • 4.6 million Americans are involved in the industry.
  • 2 million people own horses.
  • The horse industry has a direct economic effect of $39 billion annually.
  • The industry directly provides 460,000 full-time jobs.

Not to mention that they essentially embody the Super Bowl:

Now that’s what I call ‘love triumphant.’