Horses are getting help after deputies removed them from an equine facility in Pasquotank County.
23 horses, determined to be in poor condition by the Pasquotank County Sheriff's Office and the U.S. Equine Rescue League, had been at Skyward Pines Equestrian Center.
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"It was an 18 stall barn and whenever I left they had 26 horses, which is inhumane," said Ivy who helped at the facility when she was a young teen. She said the horses had been in good condition before she left but when she saw them on Friday it was the worst condition she'd seen them in.
Ivy was tearful when volunteers collected the horses because she had a horse that she co-owned with someone else boarded at the facility. Others confirmed Ivy wasn't able to see her horse for months and didn't know the condition of the animals until the sheriff's office stepped in.
Her horse is now being taken to be rehabilitated.
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"Looking at him today what are you feeling?" asked News 3 reporter Erika Craven.
"It's upsetting not knowing if I can continue working with my horse," said Ivy.
Volunteers described the horses as "emaciated," and said they wanted to help.
"It breaks my heart that anyone would leave these horses in this condition and allow them to be used on a daily basis by children," said Wendy Wild, volunteer for USERL.
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We're told two horses are going to Southern Hope Animal Rescue, two to Saving Grace Rescue, some back to the owners who had boarded them, and others to be fostered through USERL – who say they'll make sure they're going to a good home.
At this time, we don't know why the horses were in this position and no charges have been announced.
"In all cases we review the case with the District Attorney's office and they'll look at all the evidence and what's been done – to how bad the horses were in this case, you know, did the owner surrender them so they could get assistance and rehabilitation or not, and all those factors go into the District Attorney making their decision," said Maj. Aaron Wallio of the Pasquotank Sheriff's Office.
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Maj. Wallio added that if folks would like to help they are accepting donations at the Pasquotank County Sheriff's Office. If you'd like to help, you can contact Pasquotank's Administrative Assistant Heather Carawan at 252-548-4590.
Those with the USERL reported all horses in the case have found a safe place to land and foster homes are not needed at this time.
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