To the editors, breeders, owners, trainers, and friends of the Arabian horse:

For five thousand years, the Arabian horse has carried our history—from prophets to princes, kings, queens, and presidents to ordinary families. Across deserts, dynasties, and continents, the Arabian’s intelligence, endurance, beauty, and spirit have made it one of the most revered and enduring equine breeds in human history.

Today, they need our help. 

Right now, American horses — including registered Arabians, Half‑Arabians, and Anglo‑Arabians — are being shipped across our borders and slaughtered for human consumption abroad. Most are healthy. Many are young. Some still carry their papers. We owe them so much better.

We can put an end to these horrific practices and end this pipeline together. The Save America’s Forgotten Equines Act — the SAFE Act, H.R. 1661 and S. 775 — would end this trade permanently. The House version has surpassed the 218-cosponsor threshold, with 226 cosponsors recorded, making the bill more than ready for a floor vote. Momentum is building, but the Senate companion bill still needs public pressure and visible support from the horse industry. The racing world has stepped forward, and the Arabian community should help lead this moment as well. 

I am writing to ask my friends in the Arabian world — its publications, its associations, its judges, its breeders, its trainers, and its owners — to join us and put their support on record, calling for an end to horse slaughter.

Voices from across the breed are joining this call:

“As a former horse owner, I have been a leader in efforts to ban horse slaughter in the United States for many years… It is beyond time to end this brutal and dangerous practice. Horses are not food. As a proud animal lover, we owe it to our horse companions to protect their welfare.” - Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.) 

“I have always felt a special connection with horses. For more than fifty years, Arabian horses have been part of my family and part of my life’s journey. They have brought me friendship, peace, and a deeper appreciation for the beauty and wonder of the world around us.  A horse’s value is not measured by what it can do for us, but by the bond we share with it. When a horse reaches the end of its usefulness to people, our responsibility to that horse does not end. We owe them kindness, dignity, and compassion throughout their lives.  I am proud to support the Lost Horses campaign and the SAFE Act because no horse that has given so much should ever face the fear and suffering of the slaughter pipeline. America’s horses deserve better.” — Wayne Newton

“Prioritizing the development of community-based rehoming programs and specialized retirement sanctuaries offers a way to move beyond slaughter while honoring the Arabian’s storied legacy. These supportive alternatives aim to provide a dignified conclusion for such a noble breed, acknowledging the practical needs of owners while upholding the high level of respect these horses have historically earned. – Lara Ames, horse owner/breeder and publisher of Arabian Horse Times

“As a filmmaker, journalist, and lifelong equestrian, my childhood was inspired by great equine literature such as Walter Farley’s The Black Stallion.  Having gone undercover into the slaughter pipeline, rescuing dozens of horses of every breed and pedigree ,and documenting the atrocities that befall them, it is critical to recognize a distinction: slaughter across our borders is not humane euthanasia.  It is a traumatic and brutal end, and we must come together to end this dark practice and leave a legacy as magnificent as our equines.” - Ashley Avis, Filmmaker & Founder of the Wild Beauty Foundation  

“As a third generation Arabian horse breeder and lifelong advocate for ethical treatment of animals I am deeply disturbed by the treatment of horses that are being shipped out of the country for slaughter.  The treatment is beyond inhumane and unacceptable. Therefore, I am incredibly grateful to Ashley Avis for her diligent work to pass the SAFE Act language through the house transportation bill.  It is urgent that this legislation passes to stop the inhumane suffering.” — Mindy Peters, horse owner/breeder

We, the Arabian community, have every reason to lead. We know who we are and where this horse came from. We are also, in many ways, the conscience of the larger horse world. When the Arabian community speaks, others listen. Through the Lost Horses campaign at losthorses.org, we have documented the stories of many of these horses, and the trail leads back, again and again, to horses our own community once loved. Horses that were admired, ridden, shown, bred, celebrated, and believed to have a future.

Here is what I am asking:

• Print or post this letter in your magazines, websites, and member newsletters.

• Call your two Senators and your member of the House, give the bill numbers — H.R. 1661 and S. 775 — and ask them to support and advance this legislation.

• Direct your readers and members to losthorses.org, where they can take action in under two minutes.  

Horses are part of our story, and their presence is woven into the fabric of our history. That’s why it is our responsibility to protect the animals that have done so much for us. The slaughter pipeline remains a tragic reality for too many horses in this country, but it is not inevitable. We can rewrite the story for thousands of at-risk horses with stronger laws, better enforcement, responsible ownership, and continued support for rescue efforts. 

These horses have carried us through centuries of growth—now it’s our turn to walk with them into a future where compassion and responsibility replace exploitation.

Our horses deserve nothing less than our very best.

Thank you,

Dr. Nancy O’Reilly

Amazing Horsewoman, LLC (www.theamazinghorsewoman.com) 

Sponsor of the Lost Horses Campaign (www.losthorses.org)