Kendra Coulter, Associate Professor in Labour Studies, wrote a piece recently published in the National Post about the role horses have played in building the Canada we know today.

Coulter writes:

Horses have long held an important place in our cultures and on the lands we now call Canada. Today there are about a million horses in Canada, and their lives vary greatly depending on how we use them and who is around them.

Some people believe that only the wealthy interact with horses, but this is incorrect. People of all income levels and backgrounds are involved with horses in different ways, including for sport, leisure, friendship and therapy.

Plus, all activities with horses depend on labour, and on the men — and especially women — who care for horses around the clock, 365 days a year. There is no closing time when it comes to looking after horses.

In a number of European countries, regular data collection and research help paint a clearer picture of the many roles horses and horse people play in communities and economies. This information gives us ideas of how we can improve horses’ wellbeing.

Continue reading the full article here.