The closure of horse processing plants and the economic downturn have left more unwanted horses to roam Nebraska's fields.

"It's a big problem everywhere," said Kathy Anderson, University of Nebraska-Lincoln extension horse specialist. "People have very limited options as to what to do with a 1,000- to 1,200-pound animal."

It is unknown how many total horses are in Nebraska, but the last estimate a few years ago was about 180,000, Anderson said. The reasons unwanted horses vary.

Sometimes it's because of the down economy, including the increasing cost of hay. Taking care of a horse costs an estimated $2,300 a year, which includes basic costs such as feeding, veterinary care and shelter, she said.

Some horses are unwanted because they become sick, lame or elderly, or are no longer able to function as a show, race or work horse. Sometimes the owners, particularly children who have grown up, have lost interest in the horse.

What to do with these unwanted horses has become more of an issue with the closing in 2007 of the last U.S. horse slaughterhouse, Anderson said.

Previously, owners could sell their horses to "horse traders." The traders sometimes sold surplus horses to processing plants which exported the meat to Europe and Asia, supplied food for some zoo animals, and used other parts for other products.

Plant closures reduced owner options. The result has been more abandonment, abuse and neglect, Anderson said.

Anderson has received calls from people seeking to donate horses to the university, but NU has no room for more. Some horses are abandoned on the property of others or even on public land.

One of the worst situations of neglect recently has been the case of an Alliance rancher arrested April 17 after about 60 dead horses and 200 starving horses were found on his property, the 3-Strikes Mustang Ranch.

The best remaining options for unwanted horses include:

1. Market the horse privately through Web sites, riding stables and barns, feed and tack stores, local and regional horse magazines and publications, veterinarians and farriers, horse shows and organizations.

2. Take the horse to a rescue organization. Nebraska horse rescue organizations include: Epona Horse Rescue in Minden, (308) 293-5654 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ; Phoenix Rising Horse Rescue in Atkinson, (402) 925-5836 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ; Heartland Horse Rescue in Linwood, (402) 707-5567 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ; Lightning Creek Ranch in Crawford, (308) 765-1232 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ; SS Horseshoe Ranch in Holdrege, (308) 567-2283 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ; or The Best Little Horse House in Hastings, (402) 461-6917 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

3. Sale barns can provide an outlet for horse sales, but owners have little control over who buys the horse, where it will go or its selling price.

4. Euthanasia can be a difficult decision but a better alternative than neglect or prolonged suffering. However, cost to have a horse euthanized by a veterinarian can range between $100 and $200, which does not include the cost of carcass disposal.

Extension does not recommend one option over the other, Anderson said.

"All I can tell a person is these are the kinds of things you can do. The ball is in their court," she said.

Options for disposing of a horse carcass include burial, composting, cremation and rendering, all of which are at a cost to the owner, Anderson said.

A primary factor in the abandonment of horses is the lack of understanding about the care of the animals.

People who want horses need to understand the costs and responsibilities of taking care of a horse. The Unwanted Horse Coalition was formed to help educate individuals on responsible horse care and provide information on dealing with unwanted horses.