Kentucky Humane Society Takes In Surviving Mare, Colt From Herd Killed In Eastern Kentucky

Lori Redmon, President & CEO of the Kentucky Humane Society, with the two survivors

Late Friday night, the Kentucky Humane Society (KHS) received a pregnant mare and her weanling colt from the same herd where 20 horses were found shot dead on a strip mine near the Pike and Floyd County KY line on Dec. 17.

The two survivors are recovering at the Kentucky Humane Society’s Willow Hope Farm in Simpsonville, KY. The mare is very thin and has been placed on a special feeding regimen. Both horses are being assessed medically and behaviorally to determine what resources they will need as they recover.

“The colt took everything in stride as long as his mom was close, but the mare was showing signs of stress and anxiety on arrival,” said Lori Redmon, President & CEO for KHS. “She is heavy in foal and we didn’t want her to go into premature labor due to stress.”

The two horses were collected by Dumas Rescue, a local animal rescue group in Eastern Kentucky that has been on the scene helping with this case from the beginning.

“I feel like we closed the door on their tragic past as they walked off the trailer and into their bright future,” said Tonya Conn, President of Dumas Rescue.

There are three horses still alive from this herd at the strip mine site. Dumas Rescue will return to the site and work to capture the remaining horses.

In October KHS took in an extremely emaciated horse from this same herd. Willow, as KHS named her, is recovering at Willow Hope Farm in Simpsonville, KHS’ new equine farm. The farm was named in her honor.