All across the United States, the number of horses that are not properly cared for is on the rise.  This is either because the owners will not or are unable to take care of them.  Over the past decade, horse ownership has drastically increased in the US.  According to the American Horse Council, there are over 9 million horses in America.  That's a big increase from just over 6 million in the mid-1990's. 

Over 2 million Americans own horses and more than 1/3 of those owners have a household income of less than $50,000.  As the horse population rose and the economy fell, horses are more difficult to sell.  Some owners are no longer able to afford their horses.

It seems that, along with everything else, the cost of maintaining a horse is getting very costly.  The cost of hay alone has more than doubled over the past year because of drought, floods and record high costs of fuel needed to grow and harvest the crop.  In 2005, the cost was about $2.50 per bale.  Now, it costs over $6.00 per bale in many states.  Of course horses naturally graze on grass, but hay is needed mostly in the winter months when pastures stop or slow down in growth.  Even the small farms must buy hundreds of bales of hay each winter to last until the spring grasses come in.

Some horses end up in slaughterhouses, but others end up starving, eventually ending up at rescues.  Even the rescues are struggling with the upkeep of the horses due to rising costs.  Some owners aren't even bothering to find homes for the horses.  They are left abandoned in remote areas to fend for themselves.

Euthanasia and burial of horses is even costly because you need to call a vet in to put the horse to sleep and then you need to have the body disposed.  Many areas do not allow you to bury dead animals on your property, so you need to have someone come in and haul it away.  It's costly putting a dog or cat to sleep.  Imagine the cost of a horse.  It's not even that simple.

What will happen to the uncared for horses as the economy worsens?  With the economy going the way it is, it is hard to say.  Unless the economy makes a sudden turn for the better, the future of the horses looks grim.