Authorities in Smith County, Texas, have removed 43 horses from a Lindale property. An investigator with the Smith County District Attorney's office served a seizure warrant to the horses' owner Dec. 14, allowing the horses to be removed the next day and placed them at a temporary holding facility. Many of the horses on site were severely emaciated and showed signs of neglect.

"These horses may have been struggling to survive for quite some time, but now thanks to everyone involved in this rescue they will receive the care they so desperately need," said Nicole Paquette, Texas senior state director for The Humane Society of the United States.

The horses seized were mostly stock-type horses. The herd included several yearlings and pregnant mares. According to the responders, many of the horses were emaciated and suffering from a variety of medical ailments including overgrown hooves and parasite infestation. Several dead horses and numerous equine skeletons were also found on the scene