Rescued horses improve

ADAMS COUNTY, Ind. (WANE) - Adams County officials now know what they're going to do with 38 horses, rescued by police last month. A judge has approved a motion to find temporary homes for them.
 

NewsChannel 15 first broke this story on August 13th, as volunteers transported the horses from a farm off of County Road 500 North outside Decatur to the 4-H barn in Monroe. Many of them were sick and malnourished.
 

Since then, volunteers say one horse has given birth to a healthy baby, and all of the horses' health seems to be improving.

On Friday, Adam Carpenter, a horse farrier out of Celina, Ohio volunteered his services to the county. One by one, he clipped the hooves of the horses; care that volunteers say the horses simply weren't getting before they were rescued.

"Their ribs are starting to fill out, their hip bones aren't protruding as much," said volunteer Amy Carpenter. "They nay when you come into the barn."

When police brought the horses to the barn on August 13th,  they began looking for the horses' owner, Rick Hill. They caught up with him shortly after the rescue. The Adams County Prosecutor's office charged him with 14 counts of animal cruelty, based on a veterinarian's assessment of the animals.
 

On Tuesday, a judge denied a request from Hill's attorney to move the case out of the county because of pre-trial publicity.

For now a committee of volunteers is overseeing the care of the horses.

Volunteer Bill Miller is heading the effort to organize a fund raiser on October 4th from 1pm-7pm at the barn. It will include horse demonstrations, an auction and a hog roast.

"We just want to make it a fun day," said Miller.

Meanwhile, the Adams County Sheriff's Department is taking applications for those interested in fostering the animals. They'll take applications until September 30th.

NewsChannel 15 went to the home of Rick Hill on Friday to talk to him about the allegations against him. Hill did not answer the door. His next court date is set for October 7th.