| "The unwanted horse" is a term used to describe | | | | wanting to believe that the horse will be going to a |
| horses within the domestic equine population that are | | | | good home, and is just glad to be relieved of the |
| considered no longer useful or needed, or whose | | | | financial burden and having to care for the horse. |
| owners are either uninterested or not capable of | | | | Unfortunately, it's not just old and unsound horses that |
| providing care for them, physically or financially. The | | | | end up on the truck headed for the slaughterhouse. |
| unwanted horse is not a new problem. It is a growing | | | | Grandin did a study in 1999 of 1,000 horses at slaughter |
| concern, however. Some unwanted horses do find | | | | plants. Ninety-two percent of these 1,000 horses were |
| new homes; most probably will end up being sent to | | | | brought to kill in acceptable condition. |
| slaughter; some are humanely euthanatized; others are | | | | All those horses slaughtered, because the only market |
| abandoned and left to die of natural causes. | | | | for them was the kill market. |
| There is no typical description of an unwanted horse. It | | | | It is estimated that 75,000 to 150,000 horses go to |
| may be a perfectly normal, young, healthy horse, | | | | slaughter here in the United States every year. That is |
| purebred with breed registry papers, or it may be a | | | | an average of 1-2% of the equine population. |
| horse that is unsound due to an injury. It may be a | | | | On April 19, 2005 a group of 30 concerned horse |
| horse that has been abused and mistreated, and has | | | | persons representing breed groups, veterinarians, |
| behavioral problems as a result. Sometimes horses fall | | | | horse rescues and other horse industry professionals |
| into the unwanted horse category when their owners | | | | gathered in Washington, D.C. for the first Unwanted |
| become ill, lose their jobs, or have some other major | | | | Horse Summit to address the problem of the |
| life crisis. | | | | unwanted horse. They identified key issues, with the |
| Additionally, there are around 10,000 BLM wild horses | | | | goal being to improve the quality of life and to reduce |
| also that are considered un-adoptable, another 5,000 | | | | the numbers of these horses. Issues include standards |
| or so that are awaiting adoption, and yet another | | | | for rescue/retirement facilities, euthanasia and disposal |
| 20,000 or more mares and foals that were in the PMU | | | | of carcasses, slaughter, education of horse owners, |
| (Pregnant Mare Unine) industry. | | | | rehabilitation of horses, and identifying the causes of |
| So what happens to all these unwanted horses? | | | | this problem, such as over-breeding and lack of |
| All across the country horse rescues and equine | | | | responsible breeding. |
| welfare organizations work hard trying to save as | | | | So what can you, as a horse owner or horse lover |
| many of these animals as they can, struggling to raise | | | | do? |
| money to provide feed and care and to find homes | | | | As with all animal welfare issues, one of the most |
| for as many of them as possible. Sometimes, despite | | | | important things that a person can do is to learn all |
| their good intentions, well-meaning horse rescuers | | | | they can about the problem. If you own a horse, take |
| become overwhelmed by the sheer intensity and cost | | | | responsibility for that animal and do everything you |
| of caring for these horses. It is estimated that just | | | | possibly can to ensure that it is properly cared for |
| providing basic care for one horse is roughly $1,800 to | | | | from the time it is born (or you acquire it), throughout its |
| $2,400 per year. Caring for a horse with special needs | | | | lifetime. |
| or that requires extensive veterinary care can easily | | | | Think long and hard before you breed your mare or |
| double or triple this figure. Despite the fact that there | | | | stand a stallion at stud. Unless you have a superior |
| are numerous horse rescues, they do not begin to | | | | quality individual, and have good reason to breed that |
| meet the needs of the huge number of unwanted | | | | horse, don't do it. If you want another horse, there are |
| horses. | | | | countless horses out there that need a home. |
| To put it simply, there are way more horses than there | | | | Learn how to handle and care for your horse, |
| are homes for them with responsible, caring owners. | | | | providing the best nutrition, health care and training |
| Recently there has been a lot of controversy over | | | | possible. The goal should be to have a healthy horse |
| legislation concerning slaughterhouses that process | | | | that will give you many years of enjoyment. With |
| horses for human consumption. Many people believe | | | | careful training and handling, your horse will be a |
| that there should not be any slaughterhouses for | | | | pleasure to own and to be around. It is much more |
| horses. | | | | likely that a well mannered, well trained, sound, healthy |
| Temple Grandin, PhD, Associate Professor at | | | | horse will not end up as an unwanted horse if the time |
| Colorado State University, argues that there are | | | | comes when you can no longer keep him. |
| alternatives that are worse for the horse than | | | | Speak out about the plight of the unwanted horse. |
| slaughter. These include the sale of horses to Mexico | | | | Help educate others about this problem. Encourage |
| or South America, where an already malnourished | | | | horse owners to be responsible also. |
| animal may be subjected to a life pulling a cart or being | | | | If you do not own a horse, consider volunteering your |
| ridden to death, or when their usefulness is over, | | | | time and talents and making financial contributions to |
| shipped back to a slaughterhouse in Texas. Grandin | | | | horse rescues in your area. This is perhaps one of the |
| feels that slaughter is a better alternative than abuse, | | | | most valuable and worthwhile things that you can do |
| neglect or being worked to death in a state of | | | | to help with the plight of the unwanted horse. Not only |
| malnutrition. | | | | will you experience the joy of spending time with these |
| Clearly this is an emotional issue that most people | | | | wonderful animals, you will be making their lives better. |
| would prefer to not even think about, let alone take a | | | | You can help tremendously by sponsoring a horse. |
| stand on. Often when a person does not wish to care | | | | Most of all, show that you care. Horses deserve a |
| for a horse because the horse has reached an age | | | | quality life just as much as any other living creature. It |
| where it is no longer able to perform as it did when it | | | | may not seem like a big thing to save the life of, or |
| was younger, or developed health problems or been | | | | contribute to the well being of one animal, but it is. |
| injured, the horse ends up at the local sale barn. | | | | Working together, we can all help to reduce the plight |
| Chances are good that this horse will be sold to the | | | | of the unwanted horse. |
| killer market. The owner often chooses to ignore this, | | | | |