Translated with AI
On June 3, 2025, the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution establishing World Horse Day. It will be celebrated annually on July 11. By establishing the Day, members of the General Assembly reminded the world that domestic animals deserve careful treatment, the UN press service reports.
Man's faithful companion
From ancient battles to modern therapeutic programs, horses have accompanied humanity for thousands of years, but today, in the age of technology, few remember this.
In many cultures, horses are valued not only for their strength, but also for their spiritual qualities. In Mongolia, the country that proposed the World Horse Day resolution, the horse occupies a sacred place in the national identity. There, children begin riding horses before they can walk, and folk songs and tales celebrate the loyalty and nobility of these animals.
Leaving the arena
Nowadays, horses have been replaced as a means of transportation by cars and other vehicles. Horses are used today mainly in sports, tourism, therapy or in the show industry. But this does not mean that they have ceased to play an important role in human life.
Thanksgiving Day
According to the FAO , there are about 60.8 million horses in the world. In the United States, there are 2.41 million horses and ponies on 63,000 farms, and in the European Union, there are about 7 million horses and 800,000 jobs in horse breeding, sports, and tourism. In Mongolia, horses are still a part of everyday life – 3.4 million horses for 3.3 million people.
Beyond equestrian sport and industry, horses, donkeys and mules are vital to rural life: 112 million working horses support the livelihoods of some 600 million people in low- and middle-income countries, according to a joint study by the World Organisation for Animal Health and the FAO. The animals are used to transport water and food, among other tasks.
On July 11, the first ever World Horse Day, the UN calls for people to say “thank you” to man’s faithful companion: for their work, trust and patience.
