The article examines the state of horse breeding in the Stalingrad region on the eve of the Great Patriotic War and the sharp decline in the number of horses during the war years. The influence of such factors as sending horses to the front, evacuation of livestock from the western regions of the country, wintering conditions, lack of feed, deterioration of animal care and the epidemiological situation in the region, an increase in the burden on horses and a sharp decrease in the birth rate is shown.
