On October 31, 2006, the Unwanted Horse Coalition (UHC) met officially for the first time under the auspices of the American Horse Council at the United States Equestrian Federation headquarters in Lexington, KY.

The meeting was attended by representatives from the American Association of Equine Practitioners, American Paint Horse Association, American Quarter Horse Association, American Veterinary Medical Association, The Jockey Club, National Horse Benevolent and Protective Association, National Thoroughbred Racing Association, Professional Rodeo Stock Contractors, Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association, United States Equestrian Federation and the U.S. Trotting Association.

Meeting participants discussed a number of issues relating to the unwanted horse situation in the United States, and committees were established to continue work on communications and education, research, fundraising, and steering functions of the UHC. The Communications and Education Committee will work to develop a website, informational brochures, a guide to responsible horse ownership, and continue to develop public outreach strategies, while the appointed Research Committee will focus on compiling up-to-date information on issues such as horsemanship, alternative careers, retirement, retraining and euthanasia/disposal options. The Funding Committee will continue to recruit new UHC members, in addition to individual donors and exploring corporate sponsorships, and the Steering Committee will oversee the overall direction of the Unwanted Horse Coalition.

“This meeting was an important step in establishing the core goals of the Unwanted Horse Coalition,” said Dr. Tom Lenz, Chairman. “There is a lot of work to be done, but I am confident that we have established achievable short- and long-term objectives and are prepared to continue moving forward with the mission of the coalition.”


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