The rearing and upkeep of animals is a costly affair. This becomes especially true for horses. Because of this, cases of neglect on the part of breeders and trainers often spring up. One such instance has recently been reported from Gage County in Nebraska. Locals said that an equestrian property reeked of the dead bodies of several horses and raised the alarm.

The locals say that the equestrian property is in shambles, and the horses are very ill-managed. The owner of the property, however, has given a different statement. She said that the reason behind the deaths of these horses was a big batch of toxic hay she had received. However, with further questions, several things popped up that made her case weak.

Deliberate negligence at equestrian property

On 29th July 2023, reporters from KETV received information that horses were dying at an equestrian property due to toxic hay. According to the owner, a dozen horses have perished so far, and the latest death occurred on 29th July. A blue tarp lazily covered the dead body. The citizens of Gage County reported about the property in shambles that mistreat horses. A veterinarian, who was one of the residents, stated that this was an ongoing problem and not a one-off instance. She said that she had seen how skinny the horses at the property were. She also had images of the horses before the alleged toxic hay was brought to the place.

 Regarding the equestrian property, veterinarian Ashley Bothern said, “The horses had no food and water of any kind, no shelter. They were in a gravel parking lot.” She stated that the horses received no food or water for weeks. Bothern also added that such a thing is not expected from the owner of the place as she is herself a veterinarian. The property owner, however, has denied these claims and said that these claims are baseless. However, her exterior showed cracks when she was thoroughly questioned about the matter.

Veterinarian owner justifies the state of the horses

The Sheriff’s Office of Gage County has posted an online update saying that an investigation is being carried out on the matter. The update noted that the owner is cooperating with the police. When questioned by KETV,  Jennafer Glaesemann, said that the toxic hay affected the horses 12-48 hours after exposure. The toxin caused the horses to rapidly lose weight and kill their appetite. Speaking on why she didn’t properly dispose of the dead horses’ bodies, she said that she was busy working on a diagnostic plan. She also said she didn’t have the equipment to dispose of the bodies.

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The test samples sent to the lab by Glaesemann have not reported the presence of any toxins in the system of the horses. One of her workers alleged that the equestrian owner never listened to requests for replenishing hay. Glaesemann said that some horses weren’t fed hay as they had protein feed and medications. Speaking about the skinny frames of the horses, she said that a lot of the horses were rescued ones. She also added that these horses could be carriers of some disease that caused all the deaths. The investigation is still ongoing, and no charges have been pressed.

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