Abandoned horses have been turning up in sale barns, cattle pastures and state and federal lands across Arkansas and the country, says Steve Jones, associate professor/extension equine specialist with the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture.
"The abandonment issue affects a number of entities, including land owners, business owners, humane societies and rescue groups and law enforcement," Jones said. "Livestock auction operators are locking facilities at night to discourage people from leaving horses at their facilities."
Buddy Smith, assistant manager of Lewis Livestock Market at Conway, said abandonment "is a reality. It has happened at livestock markets in Oklahoma and other states."
More horses than normal are ending up at local humane societies and horse rescue farms, putting stress on the resources of these facilities, according to Jones.
Some cattle producers have also being affected.
"One Arkansas cattle producer told me he went to check on his cows, and there were two horses in the pasture with his cows. I've heard several stories like that," Jones said.
Kay Simpson, director of the Humane Society of Pulaski County, thinks neglect is a bigger problem than abandonment.
"We've prosecuted several people in the last year for not doing what they're supposed to do to take care of their horses," Simpson said.
In the last year or so, issues related to horse welfare, such as nutrition, health and foot care have become a concern, Jones noted. Many people have less disposable income because of the economy, so they skimp on feed. "We wind up with neglected horses. Incidents appear to be higher than normal."
Several factors hit all at once to cause horse neglect and abandonment, according to Jones.
One factor is the close of all slaughter plants in the United States. The plants are now in Canada and Mexico. It's cost prohibitive to transport horses out of country. "Other issues are the unprecedented rise in feed prices last year and people losing their job," he said.
Smith said the slaughter issue means that many horses have no value.
"We can't sell them. There's no bidder. We don't have a propped up market price because there are no slaughter houses anymore," he explained.
Jones said owning a horse offers the owner with recreational, driving and draft riding opportunities. Arkansas has about 170,000 horses, many of them for recreation.
When you own a horse, he said, if you're buying feed and doing required health care, you'll spend $1,000 to $1,500 a year on its needs. "All of a sudden, the recreation horse becomes a drain on family income and a luxury they can't afford, he said.
Demand for horses has gone away, Jones noted. If a person can afford it, now is the time to buy, because it's a buyer's market.
"The cheapest part of owning a horse is the purchase price," the horse specialist said. "Many people don't plan for long term expense of owning a horse. Feed, hay and health care is constant for 20 to 25 years, the useful lifespan of horses."
One solution, he said, is to reduce the horse numbers.
"A number of stallion owners have told me they're breeding fewer mares for customers. Fewer owners are bringing their mares to them for breeding."
Every horse owner should consider reducing the number of foals born.
"Unfortunately, I'm seeing farms that are breeding horses indiscriminately. They need to reduce their output. Breed your elite mares and stallions that have potential value," he said.
Jones explains there is still a demand for horses, but the market is for horses that have a job or purpose, such as trained horses ready to ride, race or drive.
If a horse owner has pasture with good hay quality, they can eliminate feed. Horses can thrive on hay and pasture, if the hay and pasture meet nutritional requirements.
"Your county extension agent can take a hay or forage sample, and the university can provide an analysis," Jones said.
For more information, contact your county extension agent or visit our web site and select Agriculture, then Horses. The Cooperative Extension Service is part of the U of A Division of Agriculture.
