WELLINGTON, Fla. (July 2, 2026) — As the United States celebrates its 250th anniversary, Brooke USA Foundation (Brooke USA) is recognizing the often-overlooked role horses, donkeys and mules played in shaping the nation’s history while highlighting the organization’s ongoing work to improve the welfare of working equines around the world.
From the arrival of Spanish horses in the early 1500s to the founding of the American colonies, westward expansion, agriculture, transportation and military service, equines were essential to nearly every chapter of the country’s development. Long before mechanization, they carried people and goods, cultivated farmland, powered industry and served alongside American soldiers in times of war.
During the American Revolution, horses and mules played a critical role in securing the nation’s independence. They carried soldiers into battle, transported artillery and supplies, delivered messages across vast distances, and supported the Continental Army’s operations under often harsh and dangerous conditions. General George Washington relied heavily on his horses throughout the war, including Nelson, the mount he famously rode at the surrender of Yorktown, and Blueskin, whose distinctive appearance made him one of the most recognizable horses of the Revolutionary era. Alongside these celebrated animals, thousands of horses, mules and pack animals provided the strength, endurance and mobility that proved essential to the success of the American Revolution.
“The story of America cannot be told without the horses, donkeys and mules that helped build it,” said Emily Dulin, CEO of Brooke USA. “As we commemorate 250 years of our nation’s history, we also honor the animals whose strength and service made so much of that history possible. Their legacy reminds us that working equines continue to support millions of people around the world today.”
Brooke USA’s own history traces back to World War I and the work of Dorothy Brooke, whose campaign rescued more than 5,000 former British Army horses and mules abandoned in Cairo, Egypt, after the war. Her efforts led to the creation of Brooke: Action for Working Horses & Donkeys, now the world’s largest international working equine welfare organization, and inspired Brooke USA’s mission to support working horses, donkeys and mules in some of the world’s most vulnerable communities.
In 2017, Brooke USA partnered with the United States World War One Centennial Commission to create the Horse Heroes Research Project, a permanent online archive documenting the contributions of American horses and mules during World War I. The project preserves photographs, historical records and educational resources honoring the animals that served alongside U.S. troops. Learn more at https://ap.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/brookeusa-home-page.html.
America’s relationship with working equines extends far beyond military history. Horses, donkeys and mules were indispensable to colonial settlements, agriculture, commerce and transportation throughout the nation’s first centuries. They hauled freight across expanding frontiers, pulled canal barges, worked family farms and ranches, carried the mail and helped establish communities across the continent.
Although their role has largely been replaced by machinery in the United States, working equines remain essential in many developing countries. An estimated 100 million working horses, donkeys and mules support the livelihoods of approximately 600 million people worldwide by transporting water, food, crops, construction materials and families.
Today, Brooke USA raises funds to support sustainable equine welfare programs across Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, Latin America, the Middle East and the United States. Through veterinary care, owner education, farrier training and advocacy, the organization works to improve the welfare of working equines while strengthening the communities that depend on them.
“Remembering the animals that helped build America also reminds us that millions of working equines continue to serve families every day,” Dulin said. “Their welfare remains just as important today as it was generations ago.”
As Americans commemorate the nation’s semi-quincentennial, Brooke USA encourages the public to reflect on the enduring partnership between people and working equines and the role those animals continue to play around the world.
For more information about Brooke USA Foundation, visit BrookeUSA.org.
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About Brooke USA: The mission of Brooke USA is to significantly improve the health, welfare and productivity of working horses, donkeys and mules and the people who depend on them for survival worldwide. We are committed to sustainable economic development by reducing poverty, increasing food security, ensuring access to water, providing a means to education, and raising basic standards of living through improved equine health and welfare. We accomplish this by raising funds and responsibly directing them to the areas of greatest need. www.BrookeUSA.org.
Media Contacts:
Emily Dulin
305-505-6170
Emily.Dulin@BrookeUSA.org
Kendall Bierer
561-309-9873
Kendall.Bierer@BrookeUSA.org