In January 2025, at the request of the Madison County Sheriff’s Office, we assisted with the extended care of nearly 90 Morgan horses who were seized as part of an investigation into alleged animal cruelty from a property in Madison County, Montana.

In early April, we were granted legal ownership of the horses and were finally able to begin the process of finding them loving homes.

A case like this, with close to 90 large animals in need of daily care, can present unique challenges and takes a tremendous amount of teamwork. To give our supporters an inside look into the care, time and collaboration that went into this case, we’ve asked ASPCA Equine Welfare Vice President Christie “Tex” Schulte-Kappert to tell us about her time working on this case and caring for these equines.

Q: How did the ASPCA Equine Welfare team help in this case?

A: In this case, alongside our other ASPCA teams, we provided horse care, behavior and training evaluations, and evaluated and treated medical and hoof conditions in collaboration with local providers. Because the horses affected by this case are a breed called Morgan Horses, which is a historic breed developed in the late 1700s in the United States, we collaborated with the American Morgan Horse Association (AMHA) to identify the horses during the process of helping them find good homes. We also conducted a six-day adoption event where 57 horses were adopted directly from the temporary shelter into new homes. We transported horses who needed more rehabilitation or evaluation before adoption to our ASPCA Right Horse Partner shelters/rescues, where they are getting expert, advanced care so they can be adopted soon.

Q: It's not all that often that nearly 90 horses come into our care. Can you describe what a rescue like this looks like?

A: You’re correct! This is a bit of an unusual scenario for us because we focus a lot of our work on developing programs that help owners before horses ever get to a point of cruelty and neglect. For example, we have a program in Oklahoma where any horse owner can access subsidized veterinary care or safe rehoming, in an effort to give horse owners a judgement-free place to turn if they hit hard times. Many of our ASPCA Right Horse Partners offer similar programs nationwide, and we have supported many of these programs with grant funding over many years.

In this case, we were luckily able to temporarily shelter the horses at the ranch where they were already located, which meant we didn’t have to move them right away. We brought in tons of hay and feed and made sure they had clean water around the clock — a big job in the negative temperatures. We reinforced pens and fences so they had safe enclosures, and for horses in small areas, we made sure they got turnout and exercise. We also made sure they weren’t too crowded and were housed in groups so they could socialize happily.  Most importantly, we had them all seen by veterinarians and farriers for long-overdue care.

Q: Can you describe the condition the horses came to us in? Were any medically compromised or in need of help behaviorally? 

A: By the time we started caring for the horses, the Humane Society of Western Montana (HSWM) and Madison County Sheriff's Office (MCSO) had provided good quality hay for a few months, so many had gotten back up to a healthy weight. Many of the horses had untreated medical conditions like metabolic diseases and various lamenesses (injuries or other conditions in their legs and/or hooves that can be painful and debilitating). One mare had an eye injury which we treated, and another had a painful tooth/sinus abscess. Several horses showed signs of laminitis, which is a very painful condition that affects the hooves and can easily become serious or chronic. Many of the horses had not had good hoof care for a long time, so they were suffering from long toes, poor hoof angles and other hoof problems that made standing and walking painful and can impact their long-term health and soundness. For large prey and herd animals like horses, these conditions can be extraordinarily painful, debilitating and even life-threatening.

Behaviorally, many horses were fearful and hard to catch, which made basic care difficult. It appeared some had not been handled in a long time, and many of the young horses appeared to have never had basic halter training. 

Q: What does rehabilitation look like for these horses?

A: After the basics of enough quality hay/feed and water, the horses all needed veterinary care. Veterinarians examined each horse individually to identify issues and create a treatment plan (such as for the metabolic disease, laminitis and lameness), and vaccinated each horse. Farrier care was also a huge part of their rehab, as it can take months or longer to correct issues as the hoof regrows. The farriers examined each horse individually as well, and we took detailed notes about their initial status and the ongoing plan. For horses with more complex hoof issues, we took radiographs (X-rays) so that the farriers could see the underlying bones of the hoof and trim and shape the foot accordingly. 

Q: Beyond rehabilitation, housing and caring for this many horses is a feat in and of itself. Can you explain what daily care has looked like and how many people are needed to get these animals the care they need?

A: We had a team of 6-12 dedicated staff on the ground every day from mid-January through the end of April taking care of the horses' daily needs and bringing them back to health. We also coordinated with two local veterinarians and three local farriers, who provided excellent care. Especially in the winter, keeping water thawed was a full-time job! We ran several generators and broke ice so that each horse had access to clean water in sub-zero temperatures. We also fed extra hay to help horses stay warm in the cold weather. And every day, we gave medications to horses who needed them and treated any ongoing injuries or conditions. This case was unique in part because of the sheer size of the herd, so daily care was a massive undertaking, but one that our teams were prepared for.

Q: Are there still horses in our care? If so, why, and what care are we providing them? 

A: EVERY horse from the case has been placed! Over 60 in total were ready for adoption right away after we gained custody, thanks to the hard work our teams had put in for the four months we cared for them at the temporary shelter. These lucky horses were adopted directly into new, loving homes in mid-late April, and we’re already hearing happy updates from their adopters as they settle in. Others went to ASPCA Right Horse Adoption Partners for further rehabilitation so they can be adopted soon. We are also collaborating closely with the AMHA to identify the horses via DNA test, register them with the breed registry whenever possible, and provide their new owners with those registration papers, which are an important link to their identity and history.

Q: Why is the work we're doing with these horses, and our equine work in general, important?

A: While it may not be as common to own a horse as a dog or cat, they need just as much care and protection as small animals. Horses can become at-risk for many reasons, and our equine welfare work is focused on preventing horses from falling into bad situations whenever possible and helping them get to new, loving homes as quickly as possible. This case is a strong example of how vulnerable horses are, and how much work it takes to get them healthy again and ready for new homes. It takes a lot of knowledge and dedication from many different people to help a group of horses this size; we have the unique ability to take on such a large case.