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Unwanted

The Causes and Effects of America's Horse Population Crisis

Christina Keim

$47.99

Paperback

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English
Trafalgar Square
14 October 2025
Discover the hidden world behind America's horse population crisis

and the brave efforts to save the ones left behind.

In Unwanted: The Causes and Effects of America's Horse Population Crisis, equestrian journalist and lifelong horsewoman Christina Keim delivers a compassionate, fact-based investigation into one of the most complex and divisive issues facing the equine world today. Every year, tens of thousands of horses

racehorses past their prime, foals who didn't meet expectations, elderly Amish cart horses, and backyard companions

become 'unwanted'. Their stories differ, but their fate is often the same: auction houses, neglect, or slaughter pipelines leading to Canada, Mexico, and beyond.

With firsthand reporting and poignant storytelling, Keim takes readers to the front lines of the crisis: livestock auctions, rescue operations, and therapy centers where horses get a second chance. She interviews veterinarians, shelter leaders, lawmakers, and welfare advocates to separate myth from reality, challenging us to examine the cultural and economic forces behind overbreeding, poor rehoming practices, and widespread resource shortages. Most of all, she amplifies the voices of those working tirelessly to reshape how we view and care for these extraordinary animals.

Inside you'll discover:

Real-world insights from rescues, auctions, and equine therapy centres across the U.S. The truth behind the slaughter pipeline

and the horses who fall into it The devastating toll of overbreeding and economic neglect Interviews with experts and advocates on the front lines of equine welfare A compelling call to reimagine the horse's role in modern America

Any horse, but for a change in circumstance, can become unwanted. This is their story

and ours.
By:  
Imprint:   Trafalgar Square
Country of Publication:   United States
Dimensions:   Height: 229mm,  Width: 152mm, 
ISBN:   9781646012367
ISBN 10:   1646012364
Pages:   272
Publication Date:  
Audience:   General/trade ,  ELT Advanced
Format:   Paperback
Publisher's Status:   Active

Christina Keim, M ED, MFA is an award-winning equestrian journalist. Her work has appeared in The Chronicle of the Horse, UnTacked, Equine Journal, Practical Horseman, The Eastern Equerry, Northeast Equestrian Life, Green Mountain Horse Association Magazine, Woodstock Magazine, and The Plaid Horse, among others. With Sally Batton, she is the co-writer of The Athletic Equestrian and Equicize. For nearly two decades a top intercollegiate hunter seat coach, Keim now teaches compassionate horsemanship and offers equine-assisted coaching out of her Cold Moon Farm in Rochester, New Hampshire.

Reviews for Unwanted: The Causes and Effects of America's Horse Population Crisis

""Unwanted is the book that every horse-lover must read. It's a hard subject to face but in order to solve the problem, we have to look at it. My initial discomfort was transformed into hope and inspiration with the stories about heroes taking actions to keep horses safe. Horses give us so much and this book makes the case that by saving the unwanted horses we are actually saving ourselves."" --Karen Rohlf, Author and Creator of Dressage Naturally Educational Programs ""The unique role of the horse in our history and current consciousness is thoughtfully explored in Christina Keim's Unwanted. Clear eyed, Ms. Keim explores the causes and some of the many solutions to a complicated problem created by people, not horses. Ultimately history will judge us by how we manage the future of a species that has carried us to war, worked with us in the fields and mines, and brought healing love to millions of people through the centuries."" --Meris J. Bickford, Esq, Recipient of the EQUUS Foundation Humanitarian Award (2023) ""Unwanted is essential reading for all horse professionals and equine veterinarians. The book is incredibly well-researched and presents many real-life scenarios that result in an 'unwanted' horse. I hope this book is widely read and encourages the horse industry to put more effort into preventing and taking care of the nation's 'unwanted' horses."" --Stacy Anderson, DVM, MVSc, PhD, DACVS-LA, Executive Dean and Professor, Richard A. Gillespie College of Veterinary Medicine, Lincoln Memorial University


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