Unwanted Horses

Since the ban on horse slaughter, populations of unwanted horses have increased, causing rescue groups to turn away many horses that are surrendered by their owners. A survey at the University of California-Davis showed there are 100,000 unwanted horses in the United States, with equine shelters able to care for only about 13% of that number. According to the survey, the most common reason for a horse to enter the unwanted population is inability (financial, physical, or time-related) of the owner to care for the horse. Next most common are horses seized by law enforcement agencies because of alleged neglect or abuse.