What would Texas be without horses? Area horses that have been abandoned need our help.

The North Texas Humane Society doesn’t need to check the stock market to know prices are dropping. They see the evidence coming through their doors - abandoned animals owners can no longer care for. Among the hardest hit in the area are horses.

Some 19 horses need new homes at the moment.

Tucked behind the Humane Society of North Texas shelter, hidden among car lots and office buildings, you’ll find an unlikely place for a barn.

It’s the home of last resort for the horses that pour into Fort Worth every week and many of the animals are nearly dead. They often come in large groups, swamping volunteers. Some 15 from one owner arrived in the last two weeks.

Skinny, scarred, balding - holes in their hooves and to turn them away would be a death sentence.

Currently 19 horses need permanent homes but adoptions take time, as some horses are fearful of new owners.

The Humane Society attributes the increase in abandoned horses to the economy - Healthy horses cost around $3,000 a year.