The Unwanted Horse Coalition, a group of horse-industry organizations, has launched its Web site and has released an awareness brochure.

The Web site (www.unwantedhorsecoalition.org) and brochure explain the organization and its mission, which is to reduce the number of unwanted horses and to improve their welfare. It will do that through educational outreach and the efforts of various organizations committed to the health, safety, and responsible care and disposition of unwanted horses.

“The Unwanted Horse Coalition includes equine organizations that are concerned with the number of unwanted horses in the United States,” said Tom Lenz, DVM, chairman of the coalition. “The Web site and brochure are our first steps in educating current and future owners, breeders, traders, and others involved with horses about the issue of the unwanted horse. Our goal is to make the coalition unnecessary.”

The UHC was created following the Unwanted Horse Summit organized by the American Association of Equine Practitioners and held in conjunction with the American Horse Council’s annual meeting in April 2005. In June 2006, the group was folded into the AHC and now operates under its auspices