1. MINNESOTA’S UNWANTED HORSE
TRACY A. TURNER, DVM, MS, Dipl.ACVS
Vice President, MN Horse Council
Board of Directors, MN Horse Expo

2. ESTIMATED 9.2 MILLION HORSES IN THE U.S.
THE PROBLEM
ESTIMATED 9.2 MILLION HORSES IN THE U.S.
1997: 155,000 IN MN
1997: MN RANKED 9th IN HORSES
2009: ESTIMATE > 200,000 HORSES

3. MN INVESTMENT = $3.8-$5.7 MILLION/yr CURRENTLY 8 EQUINE RESCUES IN MN
THE PROBLEM
THE AMERICAN HORSE COUNCIL ESTIMATES 1-1.5% ARE UNWANTED = 92, ,000/yr
MN ESTIMATE = 2,000-3,000/yr
COST =$1900/yr
MN INVESTMENT = $3.8-$5.7 MILLION/yr
CURRENTLY 8 EQUINE RESCUES IN MN

4. WHY DO HORSES BECOME UNWANTED
MN REQUIRES:
Horses be provided with food of sufficient quantity and quality to allow for normal growth or maintenance
Horses be provided with clean, potable water in sufficient quantity
Horses be provided with shelter from adverse weather conditions
Horses be provided with a clean environment and enough space for periodic exercise
Horses have their hooves properly trimmed to prevent lameness
Horses be transported safely
UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA EXTENSION ESTIMATES COSTS OF OWNING 1 HEALTHY HORSE = $6500/yr

5. WHY DO HORSES BECOME UNWANTED
Horses that are old
Horses that are incurably lame

6. WHY DO HORSES BECOME UNWANTED
Horses with behavioral problems
Horses that are dangerous
Un-adoptable feral horses

7. WHY DO HORSES BECOME UNWANTED
Horses that fail to meet owner’s expectations
Unattractive
Not athletic
Unmarketable
Wrong color (no color)
Cost too much to care for
Normal, healthy horses of various ages and breeds

8. WHY DO HORSES BECOME UNWANTED
CHILDREN (or adults) BECOME DISINTERESTED
DIVORCE
JOB LOSS
THE HOUSING AND MORTGAGE CRISIS HAVE ALSO EXACERBATED THE PROBLEM

9. WHAT DO YOU DO WITH THE HORSES?
CHANGE OF OCCUPATION

10. WHAT DO YOU DO WITH THE HORSES?
RESCUE/RETIREMENT FACILITY
ADOPTION

11. WHAT DO YOU DO WITH THE HORSES?
DONATING TO THERAPEUTIC RIDING PROGRAM
DONATE TO TEACHING/RESEARCH INSTITUTION
EUTHANASIA
ABUSE/ NEGLECT/ ABANDONMENT
EUTHANASIA AT PROCESSING PLANT

12. WHAT DO YOU DO WITH THE HORSES
EUTHANASIA >>>>DISPOSAL
THE LEGAL OPTIONS FOR HORSE CARCASSES IN MN:
BURIAL
COMPOSTING
CREMATION
RENDERING
FUR FARM USE AND PET FOOD

13. MINNESOTA HORSE COUNCIL
BECAME THE FIRST STATE HORSE COUNCIL TO JOIN THE UNWANTED HORSE COALITION

14. THE UNWANTED HORSE COALITION
A BROAD ALLIANCE OF EQUINE ORGANIAZATIONS THAT HAVE JOINED TOGETHER UNDER THE AMERICAN HORSE COUNCIL TO RAISE AWARENESS OF THE UNWANTED HORSE ISSUE AND ITS CONSEQUENCES TO HORSES AND THE INDUSTRY

15. THE UNWANTED HORSE COALITION
MISSION
TO REDUCE THE NUMBER OF UNWANTED HORSES AND TO IMPROVE THEIR WELFARE THROUGH EDUCATION AND THE EFFORTS OF ORGANIZATIONS COMMITTED TO THE HEALTH, SAFETY, AND RESPONSIBLE CARE AND DISPOSITION OF THE HORSE
GOALS
REDUCE THE NUMBER OF UNWANTED HORSES
RAISE AWARENESS OF THE ISSUE AND ITS CONSEQUENCES
EDUCATE HORSE OWNERS AND POTENTIAL OWNERS
FACILITATE THE EXCHANGE OF INFORMATION
HIGHLIGHT “ALTERNATIVE CAREERS” AVAILABLE TO HORSES
PROVIDE INFORMATION ON END-OF-LIFE DECISIONS

16. MINNESOTA HORSE COUNCIL
Minnesota Horse Council Position on the Transportation and Processing of Horses
ADVOCATES THE HUMANE TREATMENT OF ALL HORSES
BELIEVES THAT THE PROCESSING OF UNWANTED HORSES IS NECESSARY
RECOGNIZES THAT THE SLAUGHTER OF HORSES PROVIDES A HUMANE ALTERNATIVE FOR THE HORSE WITH CHRONIC DISCOMFORT AND PAIN, OR INADEQUATE CARE AND ABANDONMENT
HORSES DESTINED FOR PROCESSING MUST:
BE TREATED HUMANELY AND WITH DIGNITY
BE TRANSPORTED ACCORDING TO THE USDA GUIDELINES
BE EUTHANIZED IN A HUMANE MANNER IN ACCORDANCE WITH GUIDELINES ESTABLISHED BY THE AVMA

17. MINNESOTA HORSE COUNCIL
MARCH 2009 PASSED A RESOLUTION TO CERTIFY MINNESOTA RESCUES
501 c 3 NON-PROFIT
MEET or EXCEED THE AAEP “CARE GUIDELINES FOR RESCUES AND RETIREMENT FACILITIES”

18. MINNESOTA HORSE COUNCIL
THE UNWANTED HORSE IS THE SINGLE BIGGEST WELFARE ISSUE FACING THE HORSE INDUSTRY TODAY
1 STALLION CAN BE RESPONSIBLE FOR OVER 100 FOALS IN A SINGLE YEAR

19. THE GELDING PROJECT “HELPING THE UNWANTED HORSE 1 STALLION AT A TIME”
EDUCATIONAL SESSIONS:
General Horse Care
Reproduction
Nutrition
Facilities/Manure Management
Equine Dentistry
Vaccinations and/or De-worming
Horse Behavior
Lecture on the Unwanted Horse or volunteer 2 hours at a Horse Rescue
Education Earns Stallions to Geldings
Get an official voucher
Attend 8 horse health educational sessions
Contact a participating veterinarian to arrange castration of the stallion

20. Washington County Fairgrounds
THE GELDING PROJECT II
September 26, 2009
Washington County Fairgrounds
MHC certified rescues can bring colts and stallions for free castration
Performed by University of Minnesota Veterinary students under the supervision of Minnesota Association of Equine Practitioners
The first of a series of clinics to be held around the state

21. QUESTIONS?
Contact
Dr. Tracy Turner, MHC