A horse allegedly stolen from a Kansas breeding ranch last month was discovered dead in a ravine just one-quarter mile from its Ellis County pasture.

The mare's owners reported the animal missing from the RMH Ranch on May 23 after discovering that a gate leading to the horse's pasture had been cut. The mare and its newborn foal were among several animals residing in the pasture when the incident occurred. A surrogate is nursing the mare's foal.

A neighbor discovered the animal's carcass on June 5 while checking fences around his cattle pasture, said Mary Sturdy, the horse's owner. A veterinarian will determine the exact cause of the animal's death.

The Ellis Sheriff's Department is investigating the incident. Anyone with information about the case should call Brian Walker at 785/625-1040