In Chinese culture, the horse symbolizes strength, freedom and nobility. During the Year of the Horse, images of galloping figures fill Lunar New Year decorations and social feeds, celebrating power and grace. While horses receive paper honors and symbolic praise, real horses are paying the price with their bodies.
Across the world, horses are exploited in industries that treat them as disposable tools rather than living individuals who feel fear, pain and exhaustion. Nowhere is this contrast more jarring than in tourism and sport — industries that insist cruelty is “tradition” even as humane options are readily available.
Near Egypt’s Great Pyramids, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) investigators documented a hidden graveyard where horses used for tourist rides were dumped after collapsing from neglect. The animals were forced to haul people in blistering heat without adequate water or veterinary care, beaten when they slowed and discarded when their bodies gave out. Their suffering stood in the shadow of one of early humanity’s notable architectural achievements, a reminder that progress loses its meaning when it leaves compassion behind.
Horse racing presents a similar conflict. In countries across Asia and beyond, it is promoted as sport and prestige, yet it leaves a trail of broken legs, stress fractures and premature deaths. Horses are whipped, pushed beyond their limits and often euthanized when injuries make them unprofitable. Those who survive racing frequently face uncertain futures that can include slaughter.
This is not sport. It is bloodsport.
PETA has called on the International Olympic Committee to remove equestrian events from the Games for the same reason: There is no way to force animals to perform dangerous acts for human entertainment without coercion and violence. Horses do not choose to race, jump or endure training methods that cause bleeding mouths, shattered bones and chronic stress. The modern pentathlon recognized this truth and removed horses from its events. The Olympics should follow.
Honoring the Year of the Horse should mean more than celebrating an image while excusing suffering. It should mean asking about what respect looks like in a modern society.
The good news is that compassion and progress are no longer at odds. Innovation has made cruelty unnecessary. Cities around the world are replacing horse-drawn carriages with sleek, electric alternatives that offer the same charm without forcing animals to pound hot pavement, inhale exhaust or panic in traffic. These solutions are safer, cleaner and better aligned with the future that modern cities claim to represent.
When cities choose animal-free attractions and ethical tourism, they send a signal that progress does not require victims. Ending the use of horses for entertainment affirms values of empathy, responsibility and leadership that transcend borders.
Respecting horses also means rethinking how we view animals altogether. They are not props, traditions or economic units. They are individuals who value their lives and seek comfort, companionship and freedom from pain. Recognizing this does not diminish culture — it strengthens it.
As the Year of the Horse unfolds, societies have an opportunity to align symbolism with action. Retire horses from racing. Reject animal-based entertainment. Support innovation that reflects our highest values rather than outdated habits.
A year meant to honor horses should not be built on their suffering. True respect means liberation, not exploitation.
Adam Chen is the Taiwan campaign coordinator for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals Asia (PETA Asia).
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