September 15, 2006
Section: A-SECTION
Page: 1A
Horses recovering in Frankfort
JENNIFER CHRISTOS
JOURNAL // COURIER
By JENNIFER CHRISTOS
jchristos@journalandcourier.com
It is the largest case of horse neglect they have ever seen.
"Their water smelled like sewage, and they were sleeping in urine and feces," said Katherine Caldwell, co-founder of Indiana Horse Rescue, the equine division of Animal Protection Coalition.
On Sept. 7, armed with a warrant from the Gibson County Sheriff's Department, animal control officers seized 26 horses from a farm near Johnson in Gibson County, in the southern part of the state, and relocated them to the horse rescue shelter in Frankfort.
Richard Stallings, of Johnson, a math teacher at Carmi Middle School in Carmi, Ill., had about 150 horses at his farm.
Most roamed sandy pastures with little vegetation, Caldwell said. Few had shelter. None had proper medical or hoof care. All were malnourished and lacked fresh water.
An undisclosed source tipped off authorities.
"They were fed straight corn, which is the equivalent to feeding children pure sugar," Caldwell said.
About half of the horses were under a year old. The youngest, 2 days old, couldn't be saved.
Four were euthanized due to severely broken bones and intolerable pain. The others showed signs of severe stress.
Criminal charges may be pending against Stallings for animal cruelty and neglect. He has already been cited for not disposing of dead horses.
"Instead of burying them, he piled them into mounds and covered them with sand," Caldwell said.
Stallings had been warned for eight months by authorities, but nothing changed.
"He wouldn't even agree the horses were being mistreated," Caldwell said.
Stallings could not be reached for comment.
"With the proper care, these would have been very high value quarter and standard bred horses," Caldwell said. "I think he just got in over his head."
On Thursday, with another warrant, Gibson County animal control officers revisited the farm. Stallings had been given five days to correct some of the deficiencies found last week.
Tony Caldwell, director of Indiana Horse Rescue, said seven more horses likely will be seized.
"He did correct some of the problems," said Caldwell. "But some of the horses need immediate medical care and no veterinarian has been scheduled. It's a situation where we can't just walk away from them. This can't be allowed to go on."
How to help
The Indiana Horse Rescue Shelter, a nonprofit group run by volunteers, needs donations and volunteers. The greatest needs are for a blacksmith or farrier for hoof care, and foster and adoptive homes for rehabilitated horses.
Contact the shelter in Frankfort at (765) 659-5209, or visit www.indianahorserescue.com.