Amid all the recent rancor among Butler County horse owners over the proper care of their animals, there are two key points that nobody disputes.

The first point is that there are more horses nowadays than there are qualified and capable owners. Because of the widespread availability of horses, virtually anyone can acquire one for little or no cost. But maintenance is as expensive as ever — maybe more expensive, thanks to rising hay prices — and the result is a growing population of horses not receiving proper care and feeding. Reports of neglected, even abandoned, horses are becoming more common.

The second point is that horse owners need to do a better job of policing themselves, of looking out for each other. Virtually all horse owners agree they need to establish some sort of protocol for mutual support and, ultimately, protection of the horses.

Under these conditions Equine Angels Rescue partly stepped, partly was thrust, into the role of equine-owner police force. Founder Pam Vivirito’s vision of a shelter for neglected or abandoned horses quickly evolved into something feared and loathed by many of her fellow horse owners. Criminal charges against individual owners were met with a lawsuit against Vivirito challenging her self-assumed role as chief enforcer of equine care standards, when no uniform standards for care appeared to exist.

Backlash against Equine Angels gave rise to another organization, the Western Pennsylvania Farm Alliance, which hosted a three-hour presentation Monday on equine abuse and neglect and investigations into allegations against horse owners.

Speaker Colleen Shelly, owner and chief training officer at the Animal Crime Institute in Fogelsville, discussed guidelines and laws regarding neglect and abuse. She encouraged alliance members to use the information to put themselves, law enforcement, veterinarians, the district attorney and rescue facilities on the same page regarding investigating cases.

Guidelines and standards do exist, Shelly said. They include the Henneke Body Scoring System, used by veterinarians and other experts to determine a horse’s condition, and care guidelines for equine rescue and retirement facilities created by the American Association of Equine Practitioners. She encouraged alliance members to study the guidelines and observe one another’s farms to ensure the standards are being met on farms in and around Butler County.

Monday’s presentation demonstrated the Western Pennsylvania Farm Alliance and Equine Angels Rescue share the objective of better horse care. While professing opposition to each other, they probably are closer than they realize to a shared solution to the problem of equine neglect.

The only lacking element might be a common protocol, and information provided by Colleen Shelly seems to be a good foundation for that.

At this juncture, horse owners and horse lovers can take one of two positions:

They can focus on their differences and disagreements, and stay stuck in the present atmosphere of animosity and distrust; or,

They can focus on their common objective, work toward a protocol for equine care standards, and improve the overall quality of life for horses in Butler County.

The correct choice should be obvious to horse lovers of all persuasions.