HOUSTON – The Houston Humane Society said a horse was neglected and now the owner is disputing the claim and says she wants her horse back.
"Even with her winter coat you can easily see her rib bones, her hip bones, her backbone is very pronounced," said Monica Schmidt from the Houston Humane Society.
The Houston Humane Society seized the horse from a house in Acres Homes after Houston police officers noticed her condition.
"Where harness was digging in because they had it too tight on her, that's something that if left untreated will actually grow deep within the bone." said Schmidt.
The owner didn't want to talk to Channel 2 on camera but said she did care for horse, noting a bag of feed on her front porch.
"Often times the owners get in over their head. They're not all bad people, they're not necessarily doing it on purpose, they're not intentionally thinking I'm gonna starve this horse, sometimes they just don't know any better," said the horse owner.
The Humane Society expects more reports of neglected horses in the coming weeks with rodeo season and the start of trail rides.
"We get good Samaritans who might see a horse out and about that doesn't look right, doesn't look like it's in good shape and they can notify the authorities and be proactive instead of waiting until the horse is too far gone to save." said Schmidt. "This is a horse that deserves better, she deserves somebody to care for her, to know where her next meal is coming from and to never be in this condition again."
Investigators also found a dead horse in a shallow grave and they are awaiting test results but believe it starved to death.
The Humane Society is seeking custody of this horse and the Harris County District Attorney's Office will decide whether the owner will face charges.