* No Central Registry: Unlike some livestock, there's no national database that tracks every horse in the US.
* Varied Uses: Horses are used for a wide range of purposes (racing, recreation, work, etc.) making it hard to track.
* Constant Fluctuation: The horse population is constantly changing due to births, deaths, sales, imports, and exports.
However, here are some estimates:
* The American Horse Council: Estimates the US horse population to be around 9.2 million.
* Other sources: Estimates range from 7 to 10 million.
Keep in mind that these are just estimates. The actual number could be higher or lower.