
historical pieces, it has disappeared from everyday life. The
Amish
maintain it as a
rimary work/ transport animal. Mounted police, carriage tours and similar roles remain
in some cities. Yet, even on
ranches,
the ease of a pick-up
truck
means a horse is
sometimes carried rather than carrier. Meanwhile, maintaining a horse has become an
expensive, specialized occupation, especially in urban areas.
Riding is still popular among many Americans, especially those who live in open areas
and the West. Stables and trails are also maintained in great city parks like Philadelphia’s
Fairmount Park. Ranches may maintain horses for recreation and work; dude ranches
specialize in this union of man and nature.
Horse shows showcase precision horsemanship in equitation and more complex riding
skills in dressage, jumping, reining and related events. Major official shows, sanctioned
by the American Horse Show Association, include the National in
New York
City, the
Devon Horse Show, near
Philadelphia, PA
and the American Quarter Horse Congress in
Oklahoma. Specialized breeding groups and riding associations appear in pageants like
the Rose Bowl
parade
.
Racing also remains a primary area in which humans meet the contemporary horse.
Both harness and flat racing are popular in the US, the latter having been established
since the seventeenth century. In some states, only on-track betting is permitted; New
York and other areas allow people to bet at state centers as well. Racing usually takes
place on a one-mile oval dirt track, although races themselves vary in distance and prizes.
Among the most important horse races in the US are those of the Triple Crown: the
Kentucky Derby (Churchill Downs,
Louisville
), the Preakness (Pimlico,
Baltimore
) and
the Belmont Stakes at Belmont Park, New York. Other race-tracks in Florida and
California take advantage of warm winter weather. Famous horses of the postwar period
include Man o’ War, Secretariat and Northern Dancer, while Eddie Arcaro and Willie
Shoemaker became well-known jockeys.
Winning horses prove profitable after their racing careers through breeding fees.
Thoroughbred sales occur annually in Kentucky and at Saratoga Springs (New York);
reeding is controlled through the Jockey Club and the American Stud Book. Breeding
and training require knowledge, investments and commitment.
American horse breeding has contributed to the development of several important
strains of horses, including the American Quarter Horse, Appaloosa, Standardbred,
American Saddlebred, Morgan and Mustang. Wild horses are found still on western
ranges and on islands off the Atlantic coast.
There are also problems associated with horses. Policies regarding over-
reeding o
horses for sport, over-use of public lands by wild horses and horses used in the
harmaceutical industry (i.e. for production of the drug Premarin) continue to be
controversial. Americans have strong prejudices against eating horseflesh, although it is
used in dog food. Some horses live out their days on retirement farms, but many also face
industrial disposal.
GARY McDONOGH
Entries A-Z 563