SIMPSONVILLE, Ky. — Thirteen horses are recovering at the Kentucky Humane Society’s Willow Hope Farm.

KHS rescued the horses from a neglectful situation in Franklin County on Dec.18, 2024.

What You Need To Know

  •  The Kentucky Humane Society rescued 13 horses from neglect 

  •  The horses were without food, water, and shelter, according to KHS

  • Among the horses was War Envoy, a thoroughbred who raced in the 2014 Breeders' Cup

  • KHS said it will help the horses recover and find new homes

When the KHS first saw the horses, KHS said many of them were just skin and bones.

When the Humane Society arrived at the Franklin County location, it said the horses were mostly skin and bones (Spectrum News 1/Tyler O’Neill)

“We found that there were 13 horses in really, really horrible conditions. They were in very small corral panels with no food, no water, no shelter, and they were honestly in a mud pit. You couldn’t see their hooves,” said Savannah Gregorchik-Menendez with KHS.

Seven of the horses are thoroughbreds and the other six are Paso Fino horses. After checking microchips, one of them was identified as War Envoy, a racehorse. He raced in the Breeders’ Cup in 2014.

War Envoy raced in the 2014 Breeders’ Cup. Now, he is recovering at the Kentucky Humane Society’s Willow Hope Farm after being neglected, according to the Kentucky Humane Society. (Spectrum News 1/Tyler O’Neill)

“He … comes from a very extensive racing history, as I’d mentioned. He was actually in Ireland, he was in England, he was in California. He’s been on the plane at least five times. But what we saw was just a horse in need,” said Gregorchik-Menendez.

She said all animals could end up in a neglectful situation and it’s not a matter of breed or industry.

“He’s probably been passed through many different hands. So, it’s really more of a bad people and bad situation problem,” she said.

Now, War Envoy and the 12 other horses are getting fed, seeing vets and eventually will get a new home.

“It’s just making sure that they’re getting the care that they need and then finding their home. So that could be a month from now, could be eight months from now, but we’re determined to make sure that they are happy and healthy before they move on to their next chapter,” Gregorchik-Menendez said.

KHS adopts out over a hundred horses a year.

Kentucky Humane Society’s Willow Hope Farm is accepting donations.

Related Stories