Tag Archives: ASPCA

Butter-Stealing Witches and 9 Other Bizarre Superstitions about Horses

People have been interacting with and caring for horses for thousands of years — and over the millennia, some pretty odd beliefs came into being! Horse-keeping practices have evolved over time, but these superstitions and myths continue to be passed down from one generation of horse lovers to the next. If you choose to adopt a horse, keep these 10 silly myths in mind for a laugh when you go to throw out your horse’s old shoes or braid his or her mane.

  1. It’s well known that horseshoes are a symbol of good fortune, but did you know that the way a shoe points supposedly has a lot to do with how lucky they are? Old superstitions say that if you have a horseshoe in your home, make sure the open end is pointing upward to avoid having your luck fall out of the bottom of the shoe.
  2. Speaking of horseshoes, if your adopted #RightHorse is getting a new pair — don’t throw out the old ones! People used to believe that putting one of a horse’s old shoes in a butter churn would keep butter-thieving witches away.
  3. There are a lot of superstitions around horses and colors. In many countries it’s considered bad luck to wear or have anything green around horses.
  4. Among cowboys and the Western disciplines, green isn’t an issue — but keep your horses far away from yellow, which is believed to be unlucky and indicate cowardice!
  5. If you’ve got a cowboy hat on your head, make sure it tips upward for luck. And no matter what you do, don’t ever set your cowboy hat on a bed! It’s a commonly held superstition that a hat set on the bed invites bad luck to enter your home.
  6. If you choose to compete with your adopted horse, avoid wearing new clothes and using new gear — some believe it’s unlucky. Following that wisdom, make sure to bring your new boots to the barn several times before the big show day.
  7. If you find yourself dreaming of horses, there may be something to it. There’s a belief among horse people that a gray horse appearing three nights in a row is an omen of death. Alternatively, a black horse popping into your dreamscape signifies that a wedding might be in your future.
  8. If you’re braiding your horse’s mane, make sure you make an even number — an older superstition, that you’ll still see observed today, dictates that an odd number of braids invites bad luck.
  9. It’s considered bad luck to change a horse’s name, and even though it’s clearly just a superstition, many people to this day refuse to do it.
  10. If during morning feeding or a barn visit, you happen to find your adopted equine with knots and twists in his mane or tail, an old superstition says pixies may have visited and ridden him during the night!

Of course, the best way to bring good luck into your home is to adopt a horse of your own! Visit our horse-listing platform, myrighthorse.org, to browse hundreds of adoptable horses nationwide.

©2021 ASPCA

Hurricane Dorian: Animals in Danger

The ASPCA is gearing up to face the storm head-on and rescue vulnerable animals in the hurricane’s path.

Hurricane Dorian has reached Category 4 status and could grow even stronger and more deadly before it makes landfall in Florida in just a few days. Millions of people are in danger, as are their pets and the region’s homeless animals.

The ASPCA stands ready to assist animals and communities with pre-evacuation efforts and we are actively mobilizing responders and supplies, including field and water rescue vehicles. We are already working with a local shelter to transport its animals out of the hurricane’s projected path to safety.

This critical work is possible only with your support. If you can, please donate today and help us be there for animals when we’re most needed.

Thanks to compassionate supporters like you, we assisted thousands of animals last year during disaster responses that included wildfires and hurricanes. Now, animals in harm’s way need your help again.

If current projections bear out, Hurricane Dorian could require a large, lengthy response — we might be needed on the ground for weeks. We, and the animals, urgently need you behind us. Your gift today represents a lifeline for animals facing the unimaginable, both today and in the future. Thank you.

Old Friends Receives ASPCA “Rescuing Racers” Grant

Kentucky Derby winner Silver Charm at Old Friends (Photo by Laura Battles)

GEORGETOWN, KY – JULY 28, 2015 – Old Friends, the Thoroughbred Retirement Farm in Georgetown, KY, has received a $15,000 grant from the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA®).

Old Friends founder and President Michael Blowen made the announcement today.

The grant is part of the ASPCA’s “Rescuing Racers Initiative,” which was established in 2009 to support horses impacted by the racing industry. Old Friends received two previous grants under this initiative, in 2010 and 2011, which were used for run-in sheds and the construction of new paddocks.

These project funds will be also be used to construct new run-in sheds on Old Friends’ expanded Georgetown facility.

Old Friends supports more than 150 retired racehorses in all, including a dozen on its satellite facility in New York, Old Friends at Cabin Creek: The Bobby Frankel Division.

Most recently Old Friends permanently retired Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner Silver Charm, multiple Grade 1 winner Game On Dude and Breeders’ Cup Sprint Champion Amazombie. The organization will welcome a second Kentucky Derby champion, 2002 winner War Emblem, in the fall.

The farm is open to tourists daily by appointment.

“We are so grateful for this funding and for the continued assistance from the ASPCA,” said Blowen. “Our horses live out most of the time, and run-in sheds are crucial to their well-being. This grant will help us prepare now for the coming winter,” Blowen added. “We appreciate the support and confidence the ASPCA has in Old Friends to continue its mission.”

“The ASPCA is pleased to award Old Friends this grant to assist their efforts to offer sanctuary to so many of the Thoroughbred racing industry’s retired stallions – as well as others,” said Jacque Schultz, senior director of the ASPCA Equine Fund. “The equine rescues and sanctuaries that take in these retirees provide them with the professional services and time necessary to recover from the physical demands of life on the racetrack. We are grateful to have the resources to help them meet their goal of providing aftercare to retired racers.”

In 2014, the ASPCA awarded over $1.1 million in grants to support 169 equine rescues and sanctuaries across the country. The grants were primarily awarded as part of the ASPCA Equine Fund, which provides life-saving resources – including financial assistance, in-person and online training, and sharing of best practices – to support non-profit equine welfare organizations.

For more information, contact Old Friends at (502) 863-1775.

About the ASPCA®

Founded in 1866, the ASPCA® (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals®) is the first animal welfare organization in North America and serves as the nation’s leading voice for animals. More than two million supporters strong, the ASPCA’s mission is to provide effective means for the prevention of cruelty to animals throughout the United States. As a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit corporation, the ASPCA is a national leader in the areas of anti-cruelty, community outreach and animal health services. For more information, please visit www.ASPCA.org, and be sure to follow the ASPCA on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Old Friends is a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization that cares for more than 110 retired racehorses. Its Dream Chase Farm, located in Georgetown, KY, is open to tourists daily by appointment. Old Friends also has a satellite facility in Greenfield Center, New York, Old Friends at Cabin Creek: The Bobby Frankel Division, which is also open to visitors. For more information on tours or to make a donation, contact the main farm at (502) 863-1775 or see their website at www.oldfriendsequine.org.

MEDIA CONTACT: Cynthia Grisolia, (347) 423-7322, cindy@oldfriendsequine.org or Sylvia Stiller, (502) 863-1775, sylvia@oldfriendsequine.org

ASPCA to Celebrate Its Second Annual Help a Horse Day, April 26th

On April 26th the ASPCA will be celebrating its second annual Help a Horse Day! In honor of this special day, the ASPCA Equine Fund will be hosting a nationwide grants contest, awarding five $10,000 grants to equine rescues and sanctuaries to raise awareness about the life-saving work they do year-round to care for at-risk horses. The five groups with the most creative and engaging events on April 26th will win. We have more than 80 groups in 32 states participating, and the competition is fierce, with one group hosting a parade of rescued horses down their local main street and another group having a “horse wash.” One group is even hosting a horse-themed carnival complete with a “kiss the donkey” booth, while another is hosting a rally on the steps of their state’s capitol.

A complete list of participating rescues can be found on our site: http://www.aspca.org/helpahorse.

In addition to the grants giveaway, we’ll be doing a “Help a Horse Photo Contest” for fans on social media to submit photos of their equine companions. Participants will be asked: “How have you helped a horse?” for a chance to win a sponsored prize. For more information on the photo contest, please visit http://bit.ly/1muLXgw.

Celebrate National Animal Advocacy Day on April 30

Animal advocates are a powerful force when we work together. That’s why we’re joining forces on April 30 to celebrate National Animal Advocacy Day — and you’re invited! We’re going to spend the day on the phone, calling members of Congress and urging them to ban horse slaughter once and for all.

Horse slaughter is barbaric and cruel. It’s not only bad for horses, but also for people. Meat from American horses is unsafe for human consumption. Enacting a ban on horse slaughter has never been more urgent.

The ASPCA is fighting this grisly industry, but we can’t do it without your help. In conjunction with National Animal Advocacy Day, we are asking our members to call their legislators and urge them to support the Safeguard American Food Exports (SAFE) Act.

The SAFE Act will prohibit the slaughter of horses for human consumption in the U.S. and ban their export abroad for that purpose. This bill will protect our nation’s horses from the predatory horse slaughter industry and protect the public from toxic horse meat.

Let’s show Congress that people across the country, in every corner of every state, care about the protection of horses, and will not tolerate their senseless and cruel slaughter.

What You Can Do

Please call your legislators on April 30, National Animal Advocacy Day, and urge them to pass the SAFE Act. Visit the ASPCA Advocacy Center to look up your legislators’ names and phone numbers.

Take Action Now »

With everyone working together on one concerted effort, we can put our hoofprint on Congress and help pass the SAFE Act! Thank you for standing up for horses!

Jennifer Wood Media, Inc. | 2577 Eagle Bay Drive | Orange Park, FL 32073

Join Peter Leone for a Book Signing on the ASPCA Patio at the Hampton Classic on Friday August 31

Artwork courtesy of ASPCA

Wellington, FL – August 29 2012 – Olympian Peter Leone will be on hand to personalize his book, Peter Leone’s Show Jumping Clinic: Success Strategies for Equestrian Athletes, and his DVD, Ride the Body: Select Insights of Peter Leone, at the ASPCA Patio at the Hampton Classic on Friday, August 31st from 11:00 am to 12:00 noon and again after the $50,000 Spy Coast Farm/Young Horse Show Series Grand Prix Qualifier.

“The Hampton Classic is always a favorite on the Lionshare Farm horse show calendar and I whole-heartedly support the efforts of the ASPCA. Our love of show jumping was born out of a deep affection for horses. I look forward to seeing friends and helping this great cause that means so much to me personally,” shared Leone, who serves as an official ASPCA Equine Welfare Ambassador.

Friday will be named “ASPCA Equine Ambassador, Peter Leone Day” at the ASPCA Patio at the Hampton Classic. The ASPCA will have Leone’s books and DVDs available for sale all day with a portion of the proceeds to benefit the ASPCA’s horse welfare efforts.

Continue reading Join Peter Leone for a Book Signing on the ASPCA Patio at the Hampton Classic on Friday August 31

Historic ASPCA Maclay National Championship Returns to Alltech National Horse Show

Sarah Milliren, the 2011 ASPCA Maclay National Champion - photo by Shawn McMillen

Lexington, Ky. – August 25, 2012 – The second edition of the Alltech National Horse Show in Lexington, KY, is set for October 30 through November 4, 2012. The show will once again be held at the Alltech Arena at the Kentucky Horse Park.

In addition to world-class show jumping and the country’s best and most competitive hunter divisions, the show will also feature one of the nation’s longest running and most coveted national championships, the ASPCA (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) Maclay National Championship.

Over the years the ASPCA Maclay Finals have been termed the “proving ground of champions” and the ultimate test for America’s young riders. And in the case of this classic test of horsemanship skills, that’s certainly more fact than hype.

During last year’s ASPCA Maclay Finals, it was 17-year-old Sarah Milliren of Sapulpa, Okla., who took top honors. “It’s so exciting; I’m so happy,” beamed Milliren after leading the victory gallop. “For the second round I had moved down, so I knew I had to give it my all. I feel so honored to win this prestigious national championship.”

Continue reading Historic ASPCA Maclay National Championship Returns to Alltech National Horse Show

Poll Finds Big Ag Horse Slaughter Promotion Has Backfired

February 3, 2012 – Chicago (EWA) – A poll conducted in January by Lake Research Partners for the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) found that 80% of Americans are strongly opposed to horse slaughter. The highly respected research group based its survey on 1,008 voters giving the results a 3% margin of error. The poll found opposition was consistent across all sectors, including horse owners.

The findings are all the more remarkable given the huge media effort that was mounted by the horse slaughter lobby following the closing of U.S. based horse slaughter plants in 2007.

While the effort appeared to have worked on Congress, causing them to restore funding for horse slaughter inspections, it had the opposite effect on voter opinion. A similar poll performed a decade earlier indicates that opposition to horse slaughter has increased by almost 10%.

Continue reading Poll Finds Big Ag Horse Slaughter Promotion Has Backfired

Old Friends Receives Second Grant from ASPCA

Funds to Provide New Paddocks for More Retirees

GEORGETOWN, KY – NOVEMBER 21, 2011 – Old Friends, the Thoroughbred Retirement Facility and 501 (c) 3 non-profit organization, has received a second $50,000 grant from the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA). The announcement was made today by Old Friends founder and president Michael Blowen.

In 2009 Old Friends was one of five organizations chosen to participate in the ASPCA’s “Rescuing Racers Initiative,” a $1 million granting opportunity made possible by a generous donor designed to support horses impacted by the racing industry.   Old Friends also received a $50,000 grant in 2010.

The majority of the funds will be used to construct four new paddocks on Old Friends’s Dream Chase Farm in Georgetown, KY, allowing the organization to provide safe retirement for even more Thoroughbreds.

Continue reading Old Friends Receives Second Grant from ASPCA

ASPCA Celebrates Rescued Horses with Parade at Alltech National Horse Show

Equine Welfare Ambassadors and World Class Riders Will Take Center Ring on November 6

LEXINGTON, KY — Sunday, November 6 has been officially designated as “ASPCA Day” at the Alltech National Horse Show in Lexington, Ky. and to celebrate, the ASPCA is holding a parade of rescued horses that will be highlighted in the competition arena preceding the finals of the prestigious ASPCA Maclay National Championship competition.

The Alltech National Horse Show, 128th Edition, will run November 2-6, 2011, in the Alltech Arena at the Kentucky Horse Park, site of the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games.

Horses from the Kentucky Horse Park Mustang Troup will begin the parade. These mustangs were once completely wild on the plains of North Dakota and were later rounded up and removed from their native land. Rescuers have since worked to rehabilitate and train them, and they are now much more accustomed to humans and have become trustworthy riding and performance horses.

Continue reading ASPCA Celebrates Rescued Horses with Parade at Alltech National Horse Show