It's something that is happening right here in the United States that you might not even be aware of.
It's being described as in-humane ... disgusting... and shocking..many consider it to be a a dark hidden secret.

When you think of horses what is the first thing that comes to your mind? Perhaps like Careen Cain an avid horse lover from Auburn, you remember taking horse riding lessons or you think of them as pets. When some think of horses they see a quick profit and money in their pockets.

" I was shocked, I just couldn't believe it. I talked to everyone I knew to see if they knew about it, most of them didn't," Careen Cain recalls when she first heard of horses being slaughtered.

It's hard to believe that these slaughter houses are as close as Illinois and Texas. Horses, after an often long and jam packed trailer ride are prodded, shot with a metal rod, often several times in the neck. If they die they are pulled out with a chain, if they don't die their throats are slit, then their hung, drained of blood, and skinned.

'They have provided a service to us and I think we owe more to them then just discarding them," Peggy Dye, a woman who rescues horses said.

Last year alone over 100,000 horses were slaughtered in the U.S. Another 30,000 sent to Mexico and Canada to be killed. Their meat is shipped over seas to be eaten as a delicacy.

When Coreen learned of all that horrific information she knew something needed to be done. With her efforts over 300 horses have been saved from slaughter.

"To me it is very wrong to eat something like this. You know it's wrong to eat something we can ride, we can have as a companion to have and love as a pet," Cain said.

As a child, not only did Careen have a horse as a pet but she also dreamed of saving all those she saw lined up waiting to die.

'We had a plant here that also slaughtered and I saw that as a kid.We would drive by and we would see the horses standing there. I always envisioned going and letting them lose, that was my dream just to let those horses lose."

So with that dream she started a program, one that has opened the eyes to hundreds of what is happening.

"That program was Stop-To-Adopt and the main purpose was to just help people understand that horses that come through the horse auctions can be high quality horses."

"I can't even put it into words, it's the most ugly feeling it breaks my heart, Dye said, when she thinks of the slaughtering process.

Peggy like Careen have personally adopted dozens of horses, that were just moments away from being shipped off for slaughter.

"They give you so much, if you develop a partnership with them there is nothing better," said Dye.

So why are all theses horses being killed to begin with? It's not for the famished, the meat is eaten as a delicacy, and it's not because there are too many of them, these women say it comes down to one thing.

"Money, the main objective is money," Cain said.

While slaughter itself is not illegal, the steps to get there often are. An estimated 50 thousand horses slaughtered last year were stolen and many unlawfully transported. With such risk they must be making as pretty good profit right?

"People may make as little as $25.00 per horse that they take by the time they buy them, pay for transportation costs and take it to slaughter. Sometimes they even lose money, but the whole idea is the quantity."

These ladies don't make a penny. For them the costs add up as they continue their mission.

"I felt like i needed to do my part, i feel everyone has a passion, my passion is horses."

All kinds of horses are discarded not just the old and the weak, the ill and the un-ridden.

"92% of the horses that go to slaughter are horses that are sound, healthy, in good weight, many of them are ridding horses, " Cain explains.

These women had a goal in telling their story, they wanted to be the voices to the horses that cannot be heard.

"The reason people should be concerned I think is because we all I believe have compassion. The majority of the people I know have compassion for something."

With the help of Careen over 300 horses have been saved, many more can still be saved and you can help out by contacting your Representatives or your Senators and ask for their help and support.

If you would like to contact Careen Cain for more information on her rescue efforts she can be reached at, careenc@MSN.com