Each year there are about 100,000 unwanted horses in the United States, too many for the registered equine rescue and sanctuary groups to handle, according to a recent survey by researchers at the University of California, Davis. They found that the 236 registered rescue and sanctuary organizations could only help about 13,400 horses a year.

"Nonprofit equine rescue and sanctuary organizations have an important role to play in caring for and finding new homes for unwanted horses, but they are not a panacea (a cure-all) for the issue due to their limited capacity," said Kathryn Holcomb, MA, a PhD student at the University of California, Davis.

Holcomb and her colleagues surveyed 144 organizations in 37 states to find out why so many horses are unwanted and who is taking care of them.

"I was impressed by the dedication of the people involved with equine rescue and the sacrifices they make in time, and the limited money and resources available to provide care for these horses," she said