Six new horses have arrived at LSR, rescued from horrid conditions in Pinal County.  During the legal investigations and subsequent ARREST of one of the "owners", the horses were housed at the Pinal County Fairgrounds grounds.  They were fed and cared for by county employees at a cost of $50,000, the salaries  of the animal control employees who cared for them are included in this amount.

The first case of cruelty was in a rural area of Pinal county.  Living conditions were beyond description.  43 animals were confiscated, some of whom were living with decaying animals. The turnout for the horses was filled with deceased horses, and what appeared to be a goat, in various stages of decomposition.  Their water was green and they were without shade.

The second case was similar. There were nine horses, 4 goats and a pig, all without water or food. In both cases the horses all needed hoof care and many had extremely poor muscle mass.  Several of them tested positive for anemia, coccidia and giardia and all had wounds and abrasions.

Pinal County Animal Control issued a plea for help from horse rescues.  Naturally LSR stepped up and took 6 horses. They really are all magnificent!  All appear to be Mustangs:  a sorrel mare with flaxen mane and tail, a bay stallion with a jet black, thick, lush mane and tail who is truly something to see, a bay gelding with a deformity on his hind leg, a bay and a red bay gelding, and a Dunny mare who looks very much like our Dancer

The stallion, as yet unnamed, is a handsome 4 yr. old.  If you happened to be one of the lucky volunteers at the ranch on Saturday, you witnessed an amazing show of determination by both the stallion and Wylene Wilson, the Extreme Mustang Smackdown champion.  Wylene came to the ranch to "lay down" the stallion, since he was almost completely untouchable.  It took her about 90 min. to take this proud, frightened stallion from being untouchable to allowing her to put her entire body on top of his.  Personally, I have never seen anything so amazing!  Wylene was calm, and patient.  The stallion was nervous but, in the end, Wylene was able to show him she was a friend he could trust, not a preditor.  Wylene said Mustangs bond forever with their human "savior".  By "laying down" a horse, the human shows him that he/she is his savior, who will rescue him from frightening encounters during his entire lifetime.  So, my friends, the end of the story for our handsome stallion is: we hope he forgets that after being "laid down" he was gelded!!