by Mary Knetter

Created on: September 19, 2008   Last Updated: June 25, 2009

THE UNWANTED HORSE COALITION

When the United States banned horse slaughter, a number of "unwanted" horses-horses mainly of sound mind and body-suddenly intensified the realization among horse owners and industry professionals of the problems with overpopulation, abuse and outright greed for slaughter-bound, abused or undesirable horses.

The options for animals weighing several hundred to a few thousand pounds are limited and sending the animal to slaughter was often the least expensive and most convenient of those options. In the shadow of these issues, an organization dedicated to horse welfare and responsible ownership rose to the occasion: The Unwanted Horse Coalition (UHC).

WHAT MAKES A HORSE "UNWANTED"?

According to the UHC website, "unwanted" horses:

* Have an illness that requires continued treatment or is incurable

* Have sustained an injury that makes the animal unfit for the work it was intended for

* Have outlived their useful years and are no longer able to work heavily due to age

* Are owned by young handlers who have outgrown the size of the horse or have lost interest

* Have developed dangerous habits that make them unfit for all but the most experienced handlers

* Have been purchased by first time horse owners who were unaware of the expenses involved with owning a horse

* Are, out of boredom, illness or other reasons, too much work for the owner or caretaker to handle

ABOUT THE UHC

The Unwanted Horse Coalition is a Washington, D.C. based 501(c)(6) national organization controlled by the American Horse Council (AHC). The UHC supports U.S. horse rescue organizations through owner education, rescue resources and issue awareness. They support individual, local and national horse rescue organizations through promotions and donations but do not endorse one organization over another.

But the Coalition is so much more than that. The organization dedicates its efforts to assisting horse owners, potential horse owners and the general public of the issues facing horses today. Many individuals, corporations and organizations, including the American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA), The Jockey Club, the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) and the United States Equestrian Federation (USET) have stepped up to help this organization in supporting rescue facilities and educating horse owners about the realities of horse ownership and options available to them.

WHAT THEY DO

The Unwanted Horse Coalition was developed out of an identified need for awareness among

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