Please, this needs to be investigated. Animal control and sheriffs department wont do anything because they are his friends. He thinks just because he has friends he can get away with this. No body in Watauga County will do anything. Dutch Creek Trails need to be shut down and have these horse helped as soon as possible before another one dies.

Please help!!!

Are these pictures actual horses that have starved to death?

No they are not!!!!!!

I have ridden at Dutch Creek Trails as a guest and know for a fact that the horses are taken care of very well!! The people that own the stables are very nice and care about their animals and what they do!

According to locals, two horses have been rescued from Dutch Creek Trails by the local horse rescue, Horse Helpers.

Well you must have rode the ones that he just traded. And also when you have saddles on them , you don't get to see ever bone sticking out. And YESS these are picture that are and and have been starved to death. Stop sticking up for people who are cruel to these animals. They are very nice people when they want to be, but it still gives them no right to take care of there horses like this..... They have over 20 horses. They need to be taken care of properly.

Why are the police/animal control overlooking this issue??!!!

They are looking out after him because they his are friends. Its sad to think that they don't care for the animals health.

What are their living conditions like? Are they in a barn/field? How many horses are there? Perhaps someone needs to make a phone call to the NC Department of Agriculture/Animal Welfare. Surely they will step in, especially if authorities in the area are not doing there job as they are supposed to be.

I have bought 2 horses that came from Dutch Creek and they had used them for over a year. The hroses were skin and bones, covered in rain rot and lice. Why don't you visit Dutch Creek tomorrow and see what the horses look like.

They have hay, but not all the time. Especially when its snowing. I know for a fact they don't get feed on a regular basis, only when they take out rides.Which in the winter time is hardly at all. The fields have metal debris, with barb wire everywhere that's laying around. There is a wet land that has metal debris in it and the horse are always it in. No barn, just trees. They get a heads up usually when the animal control comes out, so they can put hay out.

I don't understand why the officials haven't acted. Maybe they go out there and see that there is some hay available to the horses. Unfortunately, horses in a herd live in a hierarchy. If there is limited food, the dominant horses eat; the less dominant weak horses don't. The hay needs to be distributed so that all horses get some. Also, hay loses nutritional value as it ages. If the hay is poor quality, then you have to supplement with grain.
I am not defending neglect in any way but unwanted horses are extremely difficult to place. Maybe the owners have tried???
I sincerely hope that this will be investigated further perhaps by someone outside of the county. If this is true, there is no excuse for animals to slowly starve to death while everyone turns a blind eye.

Animal Control did go out there on Sunday and the horse was down. They called a vet to come out and the vet said the horse was over 20 years old and he humanly euthanized the animal. The owners were cited for neglect. Watauga Animal Control is doing there job the the extent of the law and care very deeply for all animals.

This has been happening for years. Every year they come out. This is the first time they have done anything. So I don't have petty on them. They should have done something along time go. To many good horse have died, not just because they are old. He keeps using this excuse. I seen older horses that are still competing and look very well. I'm sorry, but not an excuse. He has many warnings and its now time to do something about it. I wish this didn't happen but enough is enough.

Sounds like it's time that someone calls NC Department of Agriculture/Animal Welfare, Animal Control can only do so much then they have to turn it over to the sheriffs dept. I know they have dealt with these same people for over 10 years.

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150111650452519.330263.137705022518&type=3 These are the horses that were surrendered to Horse Helpers. These two animals worked very hard for this farm. They were so wonderful and docile that kids were put on them. Yes they were surrendered, but they shouldn't have gotten that bad.

So sad for the poor horses!

enough is enough!
I frequently drive by one of the locations where these horses are kept and they do not receive adequate care.
Finally, it's being brought to a more public view.

I knew he would come. I man came up the road to trade the skinny horse for for fatter ones. Why can't you just own up that you are doing wrong. I'm happy the horses are leaving and may find a good home, but the new ones have to suffer.

There were 2 more horses that were purchased from Dutch Creek just to get them out of that awful place years before Domino and Freckles were seized. This has got to stop! Keith's theory of feeding only the horses that make money is wrong and inhuman. If you choose to own horses, young or old, working or lame, you feed them, care for them, and treat them with humanity. Enough.

Mr. Ward needs to have his Bread and Butter removed from him.To say that it was because they were old. Really. We got a 30 year old horse last spring with his hip bones showing he is now fat and healthy. We also have 2 more horses 25 and 35 that we got when they were young that are fat and healthy.They just need to be fed just like you need
food.Maybe you need to go withoutfood a couple of days.And you never need to own a horse ever again, not even a snake.

Here is the NC government website with the info necessary to stop this: http://www.ncagr.gov/vet/aws/

Here is what it says:
Call the local sheriff's offices or local animal control for cases of animal cruelty, stolen animals, animals running at large, in-home pet sitting services, private breeding kennels, dead animals found off a farm not buried, or humane care of animals other than dogs and cats being sold commercially. Animal cruelty cases are handled at the local level. The first source of contact should be your county sheriff's office and/or your county animal cruelty investigator. However, any person who has first-hand knowledge of animal cruelty may appear before a magistrate in that county and request the issuance of a criminal summons or warrent for arrest.

BUT, there is also a "Contact the Animal Welfare Section" link. So those of you who are witnessing this abuse, please contact the state authorities!

Heartbreaking. Words can express the sadness I feel when I see those pictures. You can be upset when you hear about it, but seeing those pics makes it all so much more real. I pray someone with full knowledge of these conditions does something...innocent animals are suffering. It's beyond horrific!

We have went to the sheriff and they are not doing anything. Watauga County will not do anything...its so frustrating. Words cant not express this. So if you know anyone that is will to help please share.

PLEASE VOTE, THIS HELPS THE CHANCES TO GET IT OUT IN THE OPEN TO LET MORE PEOPLE VIEW. ALSO IT MAY HOPEFULLY HELP THESE POOR ANIMALS

Please help! The horses are voiceless! Give them a voice for excellent care, sufficient shelter, and decent life.

This is starting to fade from public view......please don't let that happen. EVERYONE needs to keep up the pressure to ensure that something is done to help these horses. GOD gives these animals as a gift to us. How can we treat a gift from HIM so cruelly?

go onto the review websites and post your info and picts- if folks stop visiting them then they will have no choice but to shut down. http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g49623-d1509361-Reviews-Dutch_Creek_Trails-Valle_Crucis_North_Carolina.html