Rescue surrenders all horses
All horses were removed from Flying Ah Ranch near Jefferson by Jan. 15, Park County Sheriff’s Office personnel announced in a recent press release.
A total of 35 horses were voluntarily surrendered by ranch president Carol Martin after Park County Animal Control officers investigated allegations of animal neglect.
Dec. 26, 12 horses were voluntarily surrendered to animal control officers. Ten more were seized Jan. 9, including a 4-month-old foal and a 2-year-old filly. Both animals were living in the Martin house the release reported.
The filly was left in the care of a veterinarian and the other horses were taken to a rescue in Pueblo.
The remainder of the animals was taken Jan. 15.
"I don’t think they are bad, evil people," Park County Undersheriff Monte Gore, said.
He believes Martin was trying to build body mass on the horses, but too many were placed in care when the ranch lacked resources to handle a herd that size.
Martin said many animals in her care came to her in "terrible" condition, but all were given enough to eat.
She said she voluntarily surrendered the horses because she felt it was in the best interest of the animals.
"The cold weather wasn’t getting any better. The best thing for the horses is to get them to where it’s warm," she said.
A necropsy conducted on four dead horses picked up Dec. 26 showed the animals died of starvation.
Martin said starvation can be caused by a number of things, including sickness. One of the horses had been suffering cancer and two were recovering from surgery.
It didn’t necessarily mean the animals from lack of food, she said.
Animal control officers used the Henneke body condition scoring system, based on "visual appraisal and palpable fat cover on six major points of the horse. It is based on a scale of one through nine, with nine being the highest," the release reported.
"The foal had a 1.5 body score, noted as ’extremely thin.’ The 2-year-old filly scored 1.5 and Martin’s veterinarian is unable to determine what is wrong with the filly. All horses seized scored 3.5 or less."
Gore said those horses were transported to the same facility, adding, "Animal control loaded them today and took them to a horse rescue in Pueblo."
Officials said the animals would have been taken sooner, but inclement weather kept animal control personnel from getting to the ranch.
Fremont County Road and Bridge Department plowed roads Jan. 15 allowing sheriff’s deputies to get equipment to the ranch, he said.
"They put in a lot of time and effort to plow us a trail out there," he said.
Gore and her husband, Keith Synnestvedt, face seven counts of animal cruelty. Gore left open the possibility of more charges when he said, "This is a continuing investigation."
Although more charges may be forthcoming, there isn’t much the sheriff’s office could do to keep Flying Ah Ranch from accepting future animals.
"It’s not a regulated industry," he said. "From our standpoint, there isn’t a whole lot we can do."
Gore said he believes animal control plans to monitor the ranch if its rescue operation remains open.
Martin has been cooperating fully with animal control officers, Gore said.
Whether Flying Ah Ranch will continue, Martin said she isn’t sure.
"We will continue in one form or another and we’re trying to figure out how to restructure," she said.
"I will definitely, personally continue to work for legislation that protects horses and horse welfare," she said.
