GALLATIN, Tenn. — A nonprofit in Gallatin rescued 11 horses from what they describe as a breeding mill, following an animal cruelty investigation. The horses, showing severe signs of neglect, are now beginning their long road to recovery.
The horses arrived at Volunteer Equine Advocates with severely overgrown hooves, a condition rescuers call "slippers" or "elf shoes" - an innocent name for what is a serious sign of neglect.
"If we didn't get to these horses when we did, it would've definitely been worse," said Jamie Clifton, who runs Volunteer Equine Advocates. "There's a lot of really bad horses in this case."
Clifton noted that most of the horses will require sedation just to have their basic needs addressed.
"We'll probably have to sedate most of them to trim their feet and do their dental work," she said.
The rescue includes 11 horses and two foals, all of whom were living in deplorable conditions according to Clifton.
"None of the horses were getting proper healthcare," she said.
The investigation revealed disturbing breeding practices at the Middle Tennessee farm where the horses were kept.
"This owner is just rebreeding as fast as a foal hits the ground," Clifton said. "It appears they didn't get out of the stalls. We didn't see a turnout area. Windows didn't let much light in. We could barely take pictures in the stalls. The stalls hadn't been cleaned. They were damp and dark... Just a breeding mill."
While charges are yet to be finalized in the case, rehabilitation work has already begun. The horses need to be socialized and made comfortable around people.
"This is the first time I saw one of them laid down since we came. She's a big girl, she could use quite a bit of weight," Clifton said, pointing to one of the rescued mares.
The rehabilitation process will be extensive and costly. Clifton estimates the months of rehabilitation for each horse will cost upwards of $5,000, with the nonprofit relying entirely on donations.
"It takes a whole community to do this," she said. "We exist solely on donation."
The horses will have their first veterinary visit next week. Because the owner chose to relinquish the horses before court proceedings, Clifton says they are not financially responsible for the animals' care.
This story was reported on-air by Amanda Roberts and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
If you have information about similar breeding operations or animal welfare concerns, I'd like to hear from you. Contact me at Amanda.Roberts@NewsChannel5.com
