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Copyright 2008 Rocky Mountain Rider. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Reproduction of any editorial material, artwork and photos is strictly forbidden without express written permission of the publisher. For information about reprint rights, please contact the editor; editor@rockymountainrider.com.
November 2008 Issue
Editor’s Note:
No other article we have ever published has brought as much reader feedback as “Left
for Dead,” written by our staff writer, Dorinda Troutman, for our
September 2008 issue. It is the story of Able, a bay gelding, as well as three
other geldings, who were ill-treated by their owners on an extended pack trip
during June and July 2008 in the You may read the entire story, with photos,
and letters to RMR from readers at www.rockymountainrider.com. Results of Hearing and Date Set for Trial
In early August 2008, Craig Heydon, 71, of Roswell, Georgia, and his son,
Curtis Heydon, 37, of Woodstock, Georgia, were charged with four counts of
animal cruelty (misdemeanors) and were released on $10,000 bond each.
On October 9, 2008, a pre-trial omnibus hearing was held in Judge Jim
Bailey’s court in
Neither the Heydons nor their lawyer, Mathew Stevenson, were present at
the hearing. The small courtroom and hallway were packed with spectators.
Stevenson indicated in a letter to the judge that he would call three witnesses
at the trial. John Bell, Ravalli County Assistant District Attorney, told the
judge that he had sixteen witnesses on his list.
The recent release of the horses’ papers tells the story of their
purchase in three states. Craig Heydon is listed as the legal owner of all four
horses. The sorrel gelding (who is now recovered enough to show he is actually a
red roan) known as Casino and the bay gelding known as Able were purchased for
$700 and $900 in Canton, Georgia on May 20, 2008 from a sale yard. Their Coggins
tests had been performed across the border in
The Horses’ Conditions Continue to
Improve
In early October, equine ophthalmologist Dr. Steven Roberts, of
Magic, Able and Casino have regained their lost weight, and scars mark
where their saddle sores have healed. Both Able and Diamond are still recovering
from abscesses in their front feet. While elderly Diamond has not put on much
weight, he has shed out most of his winter coat, just in time to grow a new one,
and his huge saddle sore has completely closed.
Horses’ Plight Spurs Action
Many people throughout the United States and from several other countries
have responded with donations of over $20,000 and twelve ton of hay for the
horses being cared for by the Bitter Root Humane Association (BRHA).
(Congratulations to RMR readers for chipping in and helping out!!)
All money donated in the name of the Heydon horses has gone into a
special “Horse Fund” account, which was set up more than a year ago by the
BRHA from a $2,000 donation from Bonnie Trotter. All veterinary bills have been
paid from that fund.
In September, the shelter had ten other horses put into their care from a
local neglect case, and money from the “Horse Fund” also helps care for
those horses.
The Heydon horses, plus the neglect case horses, will all be fostered out
within the county for the winter. People interested in fostering the horses must
fill out a form at the BRHA. Future plans involve forming a group to help
change What You Can Do to Help
To put pressure on the authorities to prosecute the Heydons to the
fullest extent, write to: Prosecutor John Bell email: rcao@ravallicounty.mt.gov.
To help the horses with money for veterinary bills and feed, or to donate
hay, contact the Bitter Root Humane Association
at 406-363-5311,
262 Fairgrounds Road, Hamilton, MT 59840; www.bitterroothumane.org.
Help During Hard Times Horse owners face many difficult decisions over a
lifetime of owning horses, especially during the past year when feed prices have
risen and there is an unwanted horse problem. One In order to help people who may be facing hard financial
times and who cannot afford to feed their horses, Rocky Mountain Rider will run
a free classified ad for anyone seeking good homes for their horses at no cost.
For more information, call RMR at 800-509-1537, 406-363-4085,
or email classifieds@rockymountainrider.com.
Copyright 2008 Rocky Mountain Rider. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Reproduction of any editorial material, artwork and photos is strictly forbidden without express written permission of the publisher. For information about reprint rights, please contact the editor; editor@rockymountainrider.com.
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