By Debbie Arrington, Sacramento Bee

To horse rescuer Beth DeCaprio, a pair of recent cases represent the worst of an already bad situation.

A 3-year-old gelding – unable to stand on his own four hooves – was discovered in July in an empty field at Latrobe and Stonehouse roads near Rancho Murieta. Left without food or water for weeks, the horse was hundreds of pounds underweight, had been burned with cigarettes and most likely poisoned.

In August, a starving thoroughbred mare and her filly foal were let loose to fend for themselves. Animal control officers found them standing on the side of Clay Station Road, emaciated and near death.

Sacramento County animal control officers took all three horses to the Grace Foundation, a nonprofit rescue facility in El Dorado Hills. The Humane Society of the United States has offered a $2,500 reward for information leading to the arrest and prosecution of parties responsible for these horses’ neglect and abuse.

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