The US faces an ongoing crisis of unwanted horses, creating welfare problems across the industry.
The horse industry produces more horses than it can support — racehorses, show horses, and working horses discarded when no longer useful. Without domestic slaughter, horses are transported long distances to facilities in other countries under inhumane conditions, or abandoned by owners who cannot afford care. Improving breeding regulation, increasing retirement resources, and expanding horse rescue capacity are all needed components of a solution that prioritizes horse welfare.