This mare is one of two horses seized by sheriff's deputies in western Martin County recently. The horses suffer from starvation and other maladies, officials said. (HERALD photo/Steve Reagan)

By STEVE REAGAN     
Staff Writer
STANTON — A pair of emaciated horses seized from a neglectful owner in Martin County are slowly recovering, officials said.

Following a brief investigation, Martin County Sheriff's Office deputies seized the two horses from property owned by Midlander Jesus Alvares, Chief Deputy Ernest Wakefield said.

“Around the end of August, an oil field pumper contacted us and said he had found some starving horses on some property in the western portion of the county,” Wakefield said. “We started an investigation ... and on Sept. 12, we executed a warrant and seized the horses.”

In addition to the seizure, deputies also arrested Alvares on one count of cruelty to livestock, a Class A misdemeanor punishable by up to a year in county jail and a fine not to exceed $4,000.

The horses, a bay gelding and a gray mare, were literally skin and bones at the time, officials said.

“There were about 15 horses ... on a 50-acre tract of land,” Wakefield said. “There was a very crudely built corral, but there wasn't sufficient shelter or food for the amount of horses out there.”

Wakefield said authorities will monitor the situation concerning the other horses on the property and added that further seizures may be forthcoming.

Melanie Gambrell, owner/operator of All Creatures Sanctuary and Rescue in Coahoma, was called in by deputies to care for the seized animals. What she saw sickened her.

“They were basically one step from death,” Gambrell said. “There was no meat on their necks ... and their bones and ribs were very discernible.”

The horses, which are being housed at the county arena pending a hearing before the justice of the peace, are being closely monitored by Gambrell.

“We're letting them eat all the hay they want,” she said. “On top of that, we're feeding them two cups of grain a day and we hope to increase that in the next few days.”

Initial results are promising, Gambrell noted.

“Just with what we've been able to do so far, they look great,” she said. “They look good compared to the way they were Saturday.”

The horses are still too weak for some needed veterinarian care, such as de-worming, but Gambrell is optimistic they will eventually make a full recovery.

The horses will be subject to a hearing before Justice of the Peace Merv Miller Tuesday. At that time, the animals will either become wards of the county or returned to Alvares.

“If we can find someone willing to take them, we'll adopt them out as soon as the judge gives us the say-so,” Gambrell said. “I'm just tickled to death that Martin County has been so proactive in this case. They've been just great.”

Contact Staff Writer Steve Reagan at 263-7331 ext. 234 or by e-mail at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it