Horses are strong and resilient.

Domesticated for millennia, horses still have the brains and bodies of prey animals—the instinct to bolt at the hint of danger at a speed (up to 40 miles per hour) that can carry them to safety. Burros are nearly as fast, but use their intelligence to assess threats before fleeing.

American horses are held in export pens in Texas and New Mexico before transported to slaughter in Mexico.
Kathy Milani
/
The HSUS
Horses built this country. They deserve the care of loving owners and freedom on the range.

For centuries, they powered our economies, carrying us and our burdens, pulling wagons and plows. Today, they need our help. Irresponsible breeding leads to homeless horses and burros—animals often auctioned off for slaughter. Poor management of horses in the wild has left thousands in holding pens. And some trainers “sore” the legs and hooves of Tennessee walking horses so the animals move with a high-stepping gait born of pain.

undercover photo of someone "soring" a horse to create an exaggerated and unnatural gait known as the “big lick."
The HSUS
Did you know?

Horses in the wild in the U.S. are all mustangs, descended from horses the Spanish brought to the New World. They live in harems, with a single male or stallion and many females and foals.

Scared yellow dog left out in the rain and mud

For every animal saved, countless others are still suffering. By stepping up for them, you can create a future where animals no longer have to suffer in puppy mills, factory farms, testing labs or other heartbreaking situations. Start saving lives today!

Kathy Milani / The HSUS