The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) has announced that it has awarded a grant of $7,000 to the Hidden Springs Horse Rescue (HSHR), located in Marianna, Fla., which will be used to fund the rehabilitation of 14 neglected horses seized by local law enforcement last January. The grant funding will help cover the cost of hay, feed, and vaccinations, as well as veterinary, dental, and farriery care for the horses while HSHR works to restore their health and place them into permanent homes.

"We were saddened to hear about the suffering these horses had to endure," said Jacque Schultz, senior director of the ASPCA Equine Fund. "The ASPCA has an extensive history of helping equines around the country, and we’re glad we were able to assist the HSHR in nursing these neglected horses back to health and finding them loving homes."

"The grant that HSHR received from the ASPCA has been instrumental in allowing us to provide food and veterinary care for a large number of horses," said Melanie L. Higdon, HSHR executive director. "Additionally, the grant has enabled us to continue our operations and rescue more horses that are in need. Many of the rescued horses have been returned to their former majestic forms, and none of this would have been possible without the assistance from the ASPCA Equine Fund."

Last year, the ASPCA Equine Fund awarded nearly $1.5 million in grant funding to 165 non-profit equine welfare organizations in 38 states, whose focus and expertise is concentrated on reducing the suffering of equines who have lost their homes or been cruelly treated