Nearly a year after Indiana Horse Rescue (IHR) Southwest took over the care of more than 100 horses on a Gibson County, Ind., farm, the animals continue to improve, and many have been adopted into new homes.

Between seized animals and a large number of horses that were voluntarily surrendered, a total of 121 animals from the farm were placed in the care of IHR between 2006 and May 2007. (For more information on this case, see Horses Impounded in Ongoing Indiana Neglect Case.)  

“We had a lot of problems with a lot of the horses at first because of high parasite loads,” said Kelsey Cook, secretary of the Animal Protection Coalition, which operates IHR and several other animal rescue organizations. “We had a lot of mares foal that you wouldn’t even have thought could hold a foal, they were so skinny–but they had babies.”

Faraa, a Quarter Horse mare, when impounded on May 26, 2007 (top image), and on Jan. 27, 2008. She is still available for adoption.

About 45 horses are now housed there, including 40 from Stallings’ original herd.

As part of a plea agreement, Stallings pleaded guilty on Jan. 24, 2008, to eight felony torture charges and 42 misdemeanor neglect charges.

“He ended up receiving four months house detention and a year of probation, during which time he cannot own any animals or be around any animals,” Cook explained.

Gibson County Sheriff R. Allen Harmon weighed in, saying, “We were a little disappointed that (Stallings) didn’t get more of a penalty, but the horses are okay now, and that’s what matters.”

For more information on IHR Southwest and the horses still available for adoption, visit IHRsouthwest.com.