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Sheila Horton, founder of the nonprofit Have A Heart Horse Rescue, said in the past few months she has seen at least 500 abused or neglected horses in Northeast Mississippi.
The most recent was an approximately 2-year-old mare confiscated Thursday evening from a Booneville resident. The Booneville Police Department responded to a call that a man was beating the horse with a baseball bat. He was charged with felony malicious injury to a livestock, said Capt. Michael Ramey.
Ramey didn’t release the name of the suspect, but Horton said it is Michael Clifton. The phone book lists a Michael Clifton at 4 County Road 1380. A woman who answered the phone at the residence Friday said Clifton was not home, and he did not immediately return a call for comment.
According to the Prentiss County Jail, Clifton was released on bond.
Horton now has possession of the horse, who suffers from numerous cuts, bruises and lacerations all over its face and body. Horton said it will recover physically but will probably have emotional scars the rest of its life.
“I just truly want everyone to realize how much abuse and neglect there is out there,” said Horton, whose operation is based in both Prentiss and Carroll counties. “And I can’t help all of these horses without some help from the public.”
For that reason, Horton is launching a food donation program. Anyone with extra hay is encouraged to donate it to Have A Heart Horse Rescue so it can be distributed to malnourished horses throughout Northeast Mississippi.
The program will feed horses allowed to remain with their owners while permitting Horton to focus on the more dire cases, such as the Booneville horse.
Click here for more on this story including photos at Emily Le Coz's blog. Caution photos on the blog of abused horse are disturbing.
I was going to say alot to you but thought Crystal Blue's photo speaks louder than any words I can say. There will be alot more pictures put on my website in the next few days these are the milder ones, I do want you to know I have slept in the barn with her the last two nights hope you rested well because SHE nor I did, she was in so much pain even after her pain meds. As long as people think like you this will continue. Thanks for your concern for her. www.haveahearthorserescue.com Oh by the way did you get kicked off as a volunteer by me. How are you???? Have not heared from you in a while.
http://web.me.com/stephb0213/Site_5/In_their_memory/In_their_memory.html
Also, Mrs. Horton only goes in and takes a horse when she is called by local law enforcement. It is then up to the court, not Mrs. Horton, whether or not the horse goes back to the owner.
Yes, Mrs. Horton does have pictures of all the abused horses. You can go to this link that I developed to show legislatures the true picture of what's going on with horses in our state. These are just a very few, some from Have A Heart, some are from the MS Animal REscue LEague and other horse rescues in our state. It's an expensive heart and back breaking job to be in. I oversee the web site Mississippihorses.org and you can go to the available horses page and see all the great horses that have been rehabilitated and are now in need of a home. The adoption fee is $300 but hundreds more dollars are put into these horses to save their lives. You can go to Twelve Oak Farm and view their horses in Rehab if you believe horses only need grass this time of year. Four foals have been almost starved to death because of that attitude. If you're going to own a horse please research what is involved because it takes a lot more than just grass to keep them alive and healthy.