Here we go again. After being charged in 2008 and ordered not to own any horses for two years, the Risners of Harrison County are at it again.
Officials question condition of horses
By Becky Barnes
Thursday, April 28, 2011 at 10:55 am
It’s been more than a year since court-ordered restrictions for having horses on their property expired, but more horses have been found in alleged poor condition at Dinah and Haskel Risner’s farm.
Harrison County Sheriff’s Deputy Robert Peak said when he arrived at the Oddville-Sunrise Road farm Sunday afternoon he found two horses down, including one that was lying in the road.
“It had collapsed at the fence and slid under the fence, off of an earth embankment and into the road,” Peak said.
The other horse was on its side inside a 100-foot-by-50-foot lot.
Dinah Risner attributed the horses being unable to get up to the rainy, muddy conditions.
“There was no grass, no hay, no water, even with all the rain we’ve had there wasn’t even a puddle,” Peak said.
Peak was joined at the scene by the Kentucky State Police as well as an investigator from the Kentucky Veterinary Office with the Department of Agriculture and local veterinarian Dr. James Rice.
He said the veterinarians were able to get the horses on their feet. Hay and water were brought in and the animals were eating and drinking when officials left.
Peak said there were two other horses in the lot as well, and 15 on the property.
Tpr. Chris Gaby said the horses in the lot were obviously in poor condition.
Peak said the animals had patches of hair loss and open sores. Their ribs were palpable, they had lice and little to no flesh.
Peak said that charges against the Risners are pending.
The couple was charged in February 2008 on a case that was opened in 2007.
The Risners contended they were only trying to help rescue horses that had been neglected.
They would purchase the horses, then attempt to bring them to a healthy weight, Dinah Risner defended during the previous incident.
In a telephone interview Wednesday morning, Dinah said the horses were moved to that lot Sunday morning when they were given worm medicine. She added that the horses had only been in the lot for about two hours and had not intended to be left there for an extended period.
“They got down on account of the bad weather,” she said. “This muddy weather they just get down and get back up.”
She said the horses have since been turned out into a 20-acre field.
She said the horses were purchased at Paris Stockyards on March 19. One horse was given to the Risners free of charge. Two others were purchased for $2.50 each.
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