April 26 is National Help a Horse Day, an initiative launched in 2013 by the American Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals to create and raise awareness of ways to take better care of these often-beloved animals and to promote protection of neglected and abused horses across the country.

I can think of no animal more valued or respected than the horse. Nor can I think of one that has had greater influence on civilization. Horses were among the first animals to be tamed and broken. And, without question, the domestication of horses transformed the world.

Once their speed, strength, and power were quite literally harnessed, they became an essential means of transportation, enabling individual riders to cover great distances in a fraction of the time it took to walk. But more than that, they could pull carts, wagons, and coaches over equally long distances, allowing drivers and handlers to easily transport groups of people, including entire families, along with their possessions, hundreds; even thousands of miles.

Horses revolutionized agriculture. They were used for herding livestock. And to draw plows and harrows through fields, enabling farmers to cultivate larger parcels of land with increased efficiency. More food could be grown and the surplus could be brought to nearby towns and cities in horse-drawn wagons, to be traded or sold, creating a new prosperity.

They were used to harvest timber and move stone, greatly increasing the supply of raw materials needed by carpenters, masons, and builders, including boat- and ship-builders. When you consider the work done by horses, it’s no wonder that we still measure the capability of modern engines using the term horsepower.

The military service of horses transformed the battlefield. Horse-mounted warfare can be traced back to the Macedonian cavalry of Alexander the Great (338 BC), the chariots of ancient Rome, and the armor-clad medieval knights. Even into the 18th and 19th centuries, cavalries of combatants on horseback were able to outflank and outmaneuver enemy armies of foot-soldiers.

Horses also facilitated improved communication. Records from the fifth century BC indicate that Persian officials used mounted couriers to hand-deliver messages. And consider the importance of the pony express or the midnight ride of Paul Revere in American history.

Clearly, these extraordinary animals can be trained for many tasks. But being able to successfully train, handle, ride, and humanely care for horses requires time, patience, kindness, resolve, and a fair amount of learned know-how and experience.

I’m not a horse person. But during my years at Extension, I got to watch a lot of 4-H club member kids grow to become capable equestrians. I remember those kids decorating and readying the stalls that would temporarily be home to their prized horses. I could feel the high-spirited excitement of those boys and girls as they prepared to showcase their skills, their showmanship, and their animals at the Franklin County Fair. And words cannot describe the mutual affection, pride, joy, devotion, respect, and care I’ve seen shared between some of those kids and their horses. As 4-H Program Educator Pat Banker says, “If you want to help a horse … Get ’em a kid.”

If you have or know a kid that’s keen on horses, the New York State 4-H Horse Program and Cornell Cooperative Extension (CCE) offer programs and clubs that allow youth ages 5-19 to develop fundamental horsemanship skills, along with an understanding and knowledge of grooming, nutrition, horse safety, and the equine industry. The kids learn these skills through educational events including demonstrations, hands-on activities, contests and competitions, horse judging, and horse camp. And you don’t need to own a horse to be part of this program.

Club membership is available regardless of gender, race, color, national origin, religion, or disability. Our adult volunteers are provided with leadership training, project instruction, and assistance and support from Extension staff. And, in addition to carrying out their responsibilities as club leaders and special interest group instructors, they serve on 4-H Boards of Directors and advisory committees.

For more than 40 years, the Franklin County CCE 4-H Horse Program has provided 4-H-club-member-youth with opportunities to attend Horse Camp at the Franklin County Fairgrounds in Malone. This year, the kids will be working with their horses in the main ring, the infield, and the new indoor arena. And the Standardbred harness racehorses will provide their annual educational program and the exciting 4H Spring Races. The 4H Horse Camp program is made possible by a grant from Agriculture and New York State Horse Breeding Development Fund, commonly referred to as the Standardbred Grant.

If you have a child 5-19 years old who would like to become involved with a 4-H Horse program, it’s easy to join. And if horses aren’t their thing, you can find a club that better-fits your child’s interests. All you have to do is contact your local Cooperative Extension office.