This Week in Horse History - December 14th Through December 20th

December 14, 2002 – Today, the second Saturday in December, marked the First Annual Day of the Horse in the state of California. The day serves as a celebration of the horse as being a living link to our history, and the Legislature called "upon all citizens to be mindful of the welfare of the horse and its contribution to our economy, heritage, and history." Various stables held celebrations and events in honor of the day, and the event remains an annual one.

Photo and information courtesy of: Earth Connections

December 15, 1971 – President Richard Nixon signed The Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act into law. The Act took measures to protect and control wild horses and burros. It required livestock operators to brand and acquire permits for their horses which grazed on public lands. After a certain amount of time passed, any horses which were left unbranded were declared to be wild horses, and therefore became property of the federal government. These horses were protected and could not be captured for slaughter, as the Bureau of Land Management took over management of the herds.

Information courtesy of America's Heritage: Wild Horses
Photo courtesy of Idaho BLM Action

December 18, 2008 – Steve Asmussen became the first racehorse trainer to win six hundred races in a single year. Asmussen gained his six hundredth victory for the year of 2008 when Storm Trust won at Delta Downs on December 18th. For the year of 2008, Asmussen had 2,909 horses start, and his stable earnings totaled 23.9 million dollars through December 18th. Asmussen gave much of the credit for his record breaking victories to the owners and staff who allow him to accomplish such feats.

Photo and information courtesy of: Asmussen Reflects on Record 600 Wins