More than 25 equine-industry organizations and one U.S. congressman participated in the nation’s first-ever Unwanted Horse Summit on Tuesday, April 19, in Washington, D.C. Hosted by the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP), the Summit served as a catalyst for identifying long-term solutions designed to improve the quality of life of unwanted horses.

“While participants came to the table with divergent views on many as aspects of the issue, they were able to reach a remarkable degree of consensus,” said Scott E. Palmer, VMD, 2005 AAEP president. “Everyone focused on the welfare of the horse.”

Discussion surrounded the factors that contribute to unwanted horses as well as the approaches to addressing the problem. Summit participants recommended as the next step the formation of a national steering committee dedicated to addressing issues affecting unwanted horses. Working groups to tackle specific areas, such as horse owner education, also will be developed as part of this effort. A summary report of the Summit’s discussions that were prepared by the meeting’s professional facilitator will be released by the AAEP by the end of April.

Summit participants expressed their desire to remain committed to the process and the AAEP will help facilitate the group’s future work on the issue, said Palmer. “The unwanted horse problem can not be solved by any one segment of the industry. The goal is to get as many people and organizations involved as possible