Except for maybe some of the boarders, can't imagine why there would be a negative reaction. Just driving by you could see conditions weren't great there, just had no idea how bad they had gotten. View Comment

If you witness this you should file a formal complaint, as was done at Pee Wee. Keep in mind sometimes horses are confined to small areas when injured to prevent them from too much activity. I have seen horses around town in small paddocks, but noticed a barn or run in on property. I believe an open run in shed is OK if facing away from the wind AND horse is otherwise in good health and properly cared for. View Comment

Unsure if there are any state regulations on providing shelter. I do know that the CT Horse Guard requires their horses to be sheltered in certain weather conditions. I would think if horses were in good health and had the proper outdoor situation (access to dry ground, room to move around etc) than there should be no need for legal intervention. What is the condition of the 30 horses in question? A malnourished horse, particularly an older one would have a hard time combatting the elements, and without some sort of shelter this could lead to debilitating health issues. A horse with abcessed hooves at the very least needs dry ground, which is a lot easier to find in some sort of covered enclosure. It is much more difficult for a horse in compromised health to fend off the elements than a healthy one. I am sure this was all taken into consideration when filing that lack of shelter charge. View Comment

Unsure if there are any state regulations on providing shelter. I do know that the CT Horse Guard requires their horses to be sheltered in certain weather conditions. I would think if horses were in good health and had the proper outdoor situation (access to dry ground, room to move around etc) than there should be no need for legal intervention. What is the condition of the 30 horses in question? A malnourished horse, particularly an older one would have a hard time combatting the elements, and without some sort of shelter this could lead to debilitating health issues. A horse with abcessed hooves at the very least needs dry ground, which is a lot easier to find in some sort of covered enclosure. It is much more difficult for a horse in compromised health to fend off the elements than a healthy one. I am sure this was all taken into consideration when filing that lack of shelter charge. View Comment

I have spent time out West and the key here is "roam free". The horses in question here were not roaming free, with access to forage and wind breaks, but standing in enclosures in mud, totally dependant on their caretaker for their well being. The weather conditions are also totally different. Much drier. Montana for example only averages 5 inches of rainfall a year! View Comment