Got an idea for a holiday? Send it to us

Submit Now

295 Shares
295 Shares
WedApr 2

National Ride Your Horse to a Bar Day – April 2, 2025

National Ride Your Horse to a Bar Day is celebrated on April 2 every year. This day encourages people to do exactly as the name says ― ride their horse to their favorite bar and enjoy a drink, just like a cowboy! This holiday is recent; it was created in April 2021 by a man called Dale Garwood. Strangely, horses have a long history with bars and pubs, many of which were ‘coaching inns’ with stables attached for horses to rest or be changed for the long journey the following day; many of the oldest surviving pubs still offer such services.

History of National Ride Your Horse to a Bar Day

A study in 2012 that performed genomic sampling on 300 workhorses from local areas and reviewed previous studies of archaeology, mitochondrial DNA, and Y-DNA suggested that horses originally were domesticated in the western part of the Eurasian steppe. Although DNA studies have had varied results, the ‘Equus ferus przewalskii’ — also known as the Mongolian wild horse — is believed to be unrelated to the modern domestic horse. One study suggests that the ‘Przewalski’ and the modern domestic horse diverged about 160,000 years ago. A 2009 molecular study using ancient DNA places the Przewalski horse in the middle of the domesticated horses.

Chariot burials around 2500 B.C. present the most direct evidence of horses as working animals. Indirect evidence suggests that people rode horses around 3500 B.C. One theory proposed that the modern horse descended from the Botai culture, where horses were milked and possibly ridden more than 5,000 years ago.
However, despite sharing a small amount of DNA with them, modern domesticated breeds do not descend from the earliest domestic horse lineage at Botai.

In 2021, a comprehensive genetic analysis reported that today’s domestic horses are from the lower Volga-Don region in Russia. A test of 273 ancient horse genomes indicates that these populations replaced almost all the local breeds as they expanded rapidly throughout Eurasia from about 4,200 years ago. It also showed the selection of particular adaptations for horse-riding and the spread of the equestrian material culture — including Sintashta spoke-wheeled chariots. For Asia Indo-Iranian languages, chariots and horses spread together, following the early second millennium B.C. Sintashta culture.

National Ride Your Horse to a Bar Day timeline

3500 B.C.
The Earliest Indirect Evidence of Horseriding

The evidence of a ‘thong bridle’ is found in Kazakhstan.

3000 B.C.
The Evidence for Horse Milking and Riding

Modern horses share DNA with horses from the Botai culture that were milked and ridden.

2500 B.C.
The Evidence of Horses as Working Animals

Chariot burials from this era present the earliest, most direct hard evidence of horses as working animals.

4200 years ago
Modern Horses Expand Throughout Eurasia

There’s a selection of horse riding adaptations; the equestrian material culture also spreads.

National Ride Your Horse to a Bar Day FAQs

What is a horse-rider called?

A horse rider is called a horseman.

What are the rules of horse riding?

Wear boots with proper heels to prevent your feet from slipping through the stirrups, keep your horse under control and maintain a secure seat at all times, and remember that horses can be easily frightened by unusual objects and noises.

What are the three types of horses?

They are heavy horses, light horses, and ponies.

National Ride Your Horse to a Bar Day Activities

  1. Ride your horse to a bar

    Self-explanatory, right? If you have a horse and a favorite bar, giddy up!

  2. Dress like a cowboy

    As we’ve said, riding a horse to a bar is an old tradition of the Old West, so why not dress as such? Wear some boots, jeans, a belt with a big buckle, a shirt, and a hat.

  3. Talk like a cowboy

    If you want to take it one step further, you can talk to the bartender like a cowboy. Look up common expressions such as ‘howdy partner’ or ‘yarn the hours away’ and practice your southern accent.

5 Fun Facts About Horses

  1. They can sleep standing up

    They have a ‘stay-apparatus,’ a system of tendons and ligaments that allows the horse to lock their legs in position so they can relax without falling over.

  2. Near 360-degree field of vision

    Because of the positioning of their eyes on the sides of their head, they can see almost everywhere and have only two blind spots, one behind them and the other in front and under their nose.

  3. Their reflexes are quick

    They can go from standing still to delivering a kick in just 0.3 seconds, while the human reaction time is 1.6 seconds.

  4. They can’t breathe through their mouth

    Unlike humans, horses are only able to breathe through their noses.

  5. Their ears are composed of 10 muscles

    These let them rotate their ears nearly 180 degrees and move them independently of one another.

Why We Love National Ride Your Horse to a Bar Day

  1. It’s a fun, different way to spend a night of drinking

    Having some drinks with friends is fun, but it’s even more fun if you occasionally spice things up and surprise them. You can arrange to all ride a horse to the bar.

  2. It’s a good conversation starter

    Some people at the bar might be interested enough to ask why you’re doing this. It’s an unusual way to meet people but is rewarding when it works.

  3. We love horses

    Majestic animals, aren’t they? If you own a horse, it may be good for it to get to know the town with you. That way, if it ever gets lost, it could find its way back to the stable.

National Ride Your Horse to a Bar Day dates

Year Date Day
2025 April 2 Wednesday
2026 April 2 Thursday
2027 April 2 Friday
2028 April 2 Sunday
2029 April 2 Monday