Over a hundred years ago, horsepower was provided by horses. They were instrumental in simple transportation and commerce, bearing humans and goods through the streets of cities and towns everywhere. Policemen responded to crimes on them, and firemen were borne to fires by them. Every aspect of daily life involved horses; they were the engines of our society before motorized engines were common.

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Like our modern-day engines, horses were subject to neglect, overwork, abuse, and various breakdowns. They were worked beyond their usefulness, then often repeatedly doctored and sold by unscrupulous dealers until they were so weak and ill that they could not stand.

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Harriet Gertrude Bird was born on September 12, 1873 at Red Acre Farm in Stow, Massachusetts. When her father died in 1902, she came into possession of the farm and quickly determined to transform it into a charitable home for horses. Her dream became a reality the next year, when she opened the farm on May 8 with one black horse and $8 in the treasury. She was 29 years old and the rest is history!

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To read the full detailed history of Red Acre Farm and it's various transformations within the animal care field, click the button below.