A New York woman accused of maltreating horses on her Saratoga County property has pleaded not guilty to the charges against her.

In September, the Society of Protection of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) of Upstate New York and the New York State Police personnel began investigating the conditions at the property after a visitor complained about the condition of the animals residing there. On Oct. 6, personnel and volunteers from the Catskill Animal Sanctuary (CAS) removed 14 horses from the property and transported them to the sanctuary for rehabilitative care, said SPCA Executive Director Cathy Cloutier. Property owner Ann Arnold voluntarily surrendered the 14 removed animals. Another 9 horses remain on the property, Cloutier said.

Kathy Stevens, CAS director, said the majority of the removed horses including six stallions had body condition scores of 1 of 9 on the Henneke Body Condition Scale. The remainder ranged in body condition from 1.5 to 3, she said. All were in need of veterinary care for skin conditions and all are responding to treatment, Stevens said.

Arnold was later charged with 19 counts of misdemeanor animal cruelty