AHC, USDA Forum The Unwanted Horse Issue: What Now?
Edited Press Release

The American Horse Council has teamed up with the USDA to present The Unwanted Horse Issue: What Now?, a forum dedicated to learning more about the growing problem of unwanted and neglected horses in the U.S.

The forum will be conducted in conjunction with the AHC's 2008 National Issues Forum, June 16-18 in Washington D.C. 

According to a recent USDA press release, the goal of the forum is to foster and enhance balanced and enlightened public dialogue on topics related to unwanted horses and use a balanced set of speakers to identify known information, areas of needed information, and possible solutions in the area of unwanted horses. 

Speakers and topics include:
Welcome and Introduction, Jay Hickey, American Horse Council Historical Perspective, Nat Messer, Unwanted Horse Coalition, and the American Veterinary Medical Assn. Ethical Perspective, Camie Heleski, Michigan State University Panel: Unwanted Horse Issues Carcass Disposal Options, Dave L. Meeker, National Renderer’s Association Unwanted Horses: Fact or Fiction, Holly Hazard, Humane Society of the United States Unwanted Horses: Fact or Fiction, Robert Stout, State Veterinarian, Kentucky, Invited The Humane Methods of Slaughter Act: Are Horses Better Off Now? Doug Corey, American Association of Equine Practitioners, Invited Panel: Transportation Issues: Knowns and Unknowns Tim Cordes, USDA/APHIS/VS Jennifer Woods, J. Woods Livestock Services, Alberta, Canada Panel: Potential Solutions and Options Lynn Cross, Manager, Little Brook Farm: An Equine Educational Center and Sanctuary Tom Lenz, Unwanted Horse Coalition Al Kane, USDA/APHIS/VS Wrap Up Robin Lohnes, American Horse Protection Association 

Forum information:
Date: June 18, 2008
Time: 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. 
Location: Jefferson Auditorium, Please Enter at Wing 7 South Agriculture Building Corner of 14th Street and Independence Avenue, SW Washington, DC 
For our NON-GOVERNMENT Friends: To expedite the registration process, please send your name, affiliation, and email address to: Marsha Stephens Hurd, 800 9th St. SW, Room 3150 Waterfront Centre, Washington, DC 20250-2220; T#: 202.401.5352; F#: 202.401.6156; mhurd@csrees.usda.gov; rreynnells@csrees.usda.gov. On-site registration is available, but discouraged. 

Source: http://weblogs.nal.usda.gov/awic/archives/003391.html

Horses have been treated with the upmost abuse and for me this is something that needs to be stopped,many thinl i am crazy as an 11 year old girl to write so much on the computer typing up stories.if they saw what i was typing aand seeing they would say different.i have seen so much from all the websites i have looked at.i have explored deeper than most people my age and once i have finished with all the writing i need to finish i can convince the whole school slaughtering horses abusing horses and giving unwanted horses to auctioners is wrong.My second pony was a rescued horse .the people we bought him from had him on a muddy five acre lot.they thought he was a red roan he had so much mud on him but washed him and found he was a dappled gray.the other 10 or so horses were sold to good homes by the humane ascosiation. Yeager was sold about a year ago now to a family who took such good care of him an still does.Yeager promoted me to research and i think everyone should find the facts and see if the can still be for horse slaughter and abuse

Make slaughter legal in this country again and REGULATE it!! That or make the SPCA/PETA folks adopt all the unwanted horses and take care of them.