Horse Owner Speaks
Greg Turner and his daughter Brittany Turner Reed and his 90-year old father Neville Turner.
There is over 50-years of non stop stable operating experience in this picture. They had been at Barren River Lake State Park a total of 10-years total.
The facts don’t support abandoned and left to die
By Paula L. Ratliff
BSC, MS
Criminologist and Author
Jobe Publishing Contributor
Court documents, statements, receipts, and photographs taken the day the horses were seized, completely discredits the narrative provided by County Judge-Executive Micheal Hale alleging the horses were abandoned and left to die.
The documents were never reviewed in court because of costly restitution demands by the county.
Greg Turner, of Western Kentucky has been a horseman his entire life. He is a second generation horseman, still horsing with his 90-year old father and feeling pride of his daughter, a third generation horse woman.
The family has provided trail horses to Kentucky riders at several state parks for over two decades, holding contracts at five state parks and other locations at the time of this incident..
The riding season runs from Memorial Day through Labor Day, seven days a week from 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. and it requires several staff members to ensure that each day is covered.
After the riding season ended, Turner was not required to have staff present at the stable. He would often try to offer rides on the weekends, sometimes up until October, if the weather cooperated and he had staff available. The contract was flexible, allowing them to leave the horses at the park and sometimes they wintered their horses there.
As with any small business, it is challenging to hire and retain employees. Yet, they have been successful because some people love being with the horses and enjoy the quietness of the stable. “It’s why we love what we do, but it is time consuming and a commitment every single day.” said Turner.
After the riding season is over, they have found that being flexible helps with employees and allowing them discretion as to when they feed the horses. Some come before daybreak, others around noon and some will feed after dark.
Some stay and groom the horses, or take them for a walk or ride. Other times, they are in and out, hurrying on to school or another job. Most are dependable, but there are illnesses and other priorities that get in the way from time to time. Having multiple people helps ensure the horses are cared for and he is alerted of problems between his weekly visits.
Turner loves seeing someone take their first ride. “It often becomes a life changing moment and it is rewarding to be part of it.”
So why were his horses seized from Barren River State Park?
Labor Day was September 2, 2019 which ended the riding season and the necessity to have staff present every day from 9-5.
On September 10, 2019, an anonymous woman called the Barren County Animal Control and said she had not seen anyone at the stables for several days and the horses were “in bad shape.” Shelley Furlong referenced the call and responded to the scene, arriving at the park at 1:00 p.m. to investigate.
She enlisted, Marcus Avery with the Department of Agriculture, an un-named Park Ranger, and a woman from the lodge named “Dana” to assist. The court documents do not contain any statements from Avery, the park ranger or “Dana” and no witnesses were identified for the court proceedings.
Eventually a call was placed to Barren County Judge-Executive Micheal Hale who arrived on the scene and requested Dr. Steve Webb, veterinarian with the Animal Clinic to examine the animals. He arrived at 2:30 p.m. His report describing the conditions of the nine horses is less than one-half page.
“In my opinion, the nine horses in question were not adequately being cared for by routine standards of care, particularly considering the public nature of the stable. None of the animals were exhibiting any immediate life threatening symptoms.”
He wrote, “Several of the horses were malnourished and under conditioned” stating the park’s pasture was devoid of significant forage so supplemental feeding of hay and possibly grain would be needed.”
As to his physical observations of the horses, he stated, “Several of the horses had large numbers of cockleburs in their manes and tails indicating a lack of grooming on a routine basis. Several of the horses also were in need of hoof trimming and shoeing. One horse did have a loose shoe which presented a potential hazard and the shoe was removed on site. One sorrel with a right rear white pastern did have some superficial skin lesions from a halter. The halter was removed and the lesion should resolve without incident.”
“In my opinion, these nine horses were not receiving adequate care and nutrition. I believe all will make a full recovery once they are properly cared for and will not suffer any permanent damage.”
Based on this assessment, Judge Hale seized the horses and had them moved to Steve Bulle’s farm. Out of nine horses, one had a loose shoe, a few needed new shoes and their hoofs trimmed (the riding season was technically over), one had a superficial skin lesion and a few had cockleburs in their tails and mane.
Hale chose to remove the horses from the park without making a single call to Turner.
The Progress has requested and has not been provided any supplemental medical evaluations, treatment plans or photos relating to the conditions and treatment of the horses while in the custody of the county.
An unsigned narrative report on Glasgow Police Department letterhead provided from County Attorney Thomas states “We went out around 1300 hours to find nine horses in the field…one of the horses had opossum disease and was put to sleep that morning.” The report does not indicate who put a horse to sleep.
The Criminal Complaint processed by County Attorney states that a “horse with opossum disease ultimately had to be euthanized” inferring the euthanasia happened after the county seized possession of the horses. Documents from the Animal Clinic contradict this disease.
Hale has repeatedly stated a horse was euthanized due to “malnutrition.” There is no evidence found to support these repeated public statements and Dr. Webb confirmed to JOBE Publishing “that the only horse put down had to do with an illness which was being treated and it was not due to malnutrition.
Receipts provided from the Animal Clinic prove that Dr. Jeremy Creek was there the morning of September 10th to euthanize a large animal. A review of the travel log put him there at approximately 11:00 a.m. two hours before the BCAC arrived and seized the “abandoned” horses.
Dr. Creek was also there on August 19, 2019 when he conducted lab work and determined the horse had West Nile Virus, which is caused by mosquito bites. Receipts also confirm Kristi Jolly with the Animal Clinic was there on August 22, 2019 to administer treatment. These horses were not abandoned and they were being cared for by Turner with the help of a veterinarian.
The evidence also shows there were three bags of unopened horse food at the stable; as well as one partially full bag. These were 50 pound bags of Equine Nutrition from Burkmann Nutrition, evidence that the owner was in compliance of nutritional needs identified in Webb’s report. This is documented in photos and in a report provided by County Attorney Thomas.
Why was there a rush to remove the horses who were not in any immediate danger? The nine horses were in a secure pasture with access to water, shade and shelter. There was some foliage on the 40-acres (it was September in Kentucky) and grain was in the Tack room. Couldn’t they have provided them some extra grain and reached out to the owner?
“No one can explain why Judge Hale felt compelled to remove the horses immediately without consulting me. This could have been resolved immediately” said Turner.
“One horse was sick and he had lost a lot of weight and ultimately we had to put him down” said Turner. “The county seized my horses without speaking one word to me and I never had my day in court,” he added.
He feels the county purposely delayed court, using COVID as an excuse to increase the penalties associated with the boarding of his horses, making it financially impossible for him to retrieve the horses.
Turner said, “I had to plead guilty or pay $35,000 to get my horses back. It became very clear to me and my attorney that I didn’t have enough money to fight the county.”
The country had just endured years of COVID and with no tourists to ride the horses, there was no income to fight legal matters.
“Just look at the photos from that day they were seized and you will see beautiful horses with shiny, healthy coats. He added, “I select horses on the leaner side because they carry riders 7-8 hours a day. I also select horses a bit older because you can’t predict what a young horse might do. The older horses love the routine and enjoy walking the trails.” A lot of work goes into special training for trail horses and having good physical conditioning. Turner suggested the average price of the healthy trained animals in his care at that time was $3,000 each and nothing today costs less.
He was very stern when responding to assumptions that he might abandon or hurt a horse. “A couple of the horses were getting old and were close to being sent to pasture. But they were not abandoned and to hear these lies being spewed that they were abused is more than anyone should have to endure. This was pure government overreach in the horse stalls.”
“Because the season had ended, workers stopped in at various times to feed and exercise, but there were not people at the stables like when it is open for rides. All of this happened because of an anonymous caller and an overzealous county judge-executive who declared me guilty of a terrible thing and stole my horses.”
“Most anyone would think something like this couldn’t happen in America but it sure did and Judge Hale has vilified me in Fiscal Court meetings, in newspaper articles, radio broadcasts, on social media and even on television, defaming my family name and heritage; when he had the facts proving different if he would have just chosen to look.”
A photo of a sign with the owners’ names and phone numbers taken on September 10, 2019.
3 50 lb bags of feed and a half bag of oats at the stables the day the horse were removed.
Water trough filled with water and a water hose next to it. Photo provided from September 10, 2019.
Actual photos provided by Barren County Animal Control taken of Turner horses the day they were seized. September 10, 2019. All photos provided that day were provided by Barren County Animal Control.
Judge/Executive Micheal Hale shown at the stables on September 10, 2019. The events began with an anonymous call to animal control and ended with Hale choosing to remove Greg Turner’s horses. Turner said nobody called him even with signs posted with his phone number. All photos provided that day were provided by Barren County Animal Control.
The only Veterinarian Report made on September 10, 2019 and it clearly states no horse was in immediate danger.
The question I have is how did it come to pass that Steve Bull was selected to care for the horses at the cost that was set? Was there a bid process? Was there notification to the public? Did the magistrates take sealed bids like they are now when trying to sell the horses?
All this tells me is who the hell is over these type of contracts at
Our state parks? Who thought it is ok after Labor Day to just Willy Nilly show up for these horses? Also three bags of seed for 10 horses and no hay is NOT adequate! The shame and fault should be on the owner and the state parks. Good grief. And who thought to actually document how much feed was there. That photo could have been taken later on.
This is so sad, I would think Barren County needs to answer for this seizure of another’s property. Mr. Hale needs to explain to the county why he used covid funds to seize another person’s property! I expect Governor Beshear to address this situation! I am appalled that Mr Hale would treat someone who works for the state parks in this manner.
The question I have is how did it come to pass that Steve Bull was selected to care for the horses at the cost that was set? Was there a bid process? Was there notification to the public? Did the magistrates take sealed bids like they are now when trying to sell the horses?
The question I have is how did it come to pass that Steve Bull was selected to care for the horses at the cost that was set? Was there a bid process? Was there notification to the public? Did the magistrates take sealed bids like they are now when trying to sell the horses?
This is a terrible tragedy. Those horses should not have been removed from their approved stabling area. Sounds like the Turners should get their horses returned with no penalty. There is no reason for the county to have taken them Very sad.
This all seems like a big pile of horse manure.
Generally on any aco call comes in you get the report or dispatch call, if acting aco feels there is a concern a citation is left at the property and a attempt to reach owners are made. Contacting the Turner’s should of been easy since it was a state park contract. Horses on the thinner side owners are normally put on a “notice” of care and follow up aco visits over a few months to ensure conditions are improving. I can not recall or know of any “judge” come running to an aco call and instruct seizure. Then later down the road requests a trailer? Therapy riding? Almost sounds like there may have been other agendas in question.
In most large animal calls that are part of a pending case said animals are placed in a care facility or “foster” home where the expenses are covered not someone receiving a paycheck; plus quoted restitution $30k plus expenses at that point a boarding facility at a per horse monthly bill would of been more acceptable.
Where are the pictures of during care/ case improvements, pics of them now logs? logs of each animals? Where receipts provided of actual costs? wasn’t donations collected? Where did those funds go? How were those funds applied? More and more questions arise in my mind…. a lot of questionable actions…
Why were they removed without contacting the owner. Who had that authority without a court order and how did just one certain person get decided to care for these horses. Burrs in their tales is not abuse
Why were they removed without contacting the owner. Who had that authority without a court order and how did just one certain person get decided to care for these horses. Burrs in their tales is not abuse
All this tells me is who the hell is over these type of contracts at
Our state parks? Who thought it is ok after Labor Day to just Willy Nilly show up for these horses? Also three bags of seed for 10 horses and no hay is NOT adequate! The shame and fault should be on the owner and the state parks. Good grief. And who thought to actually document how much feed was there. That photo could have been taken later on.
Beautiful healthy looking horses. Had someone that didn’t like me call on my horse before and the sheriff told me how much my horse should be eating per day which was not accurate. I’ve had my horse for 19 years now and she looks young. So much drama over nothing. If the Hale’s took the horses to get them healthy, why are they so reluctant on someone purchasing and caring for them? $35,000 to care for horses is no way acceptable. Sounds like that person was making a payday with friends in high places. My one horse has not cost that much to care for a 19 years.
Beautiful healthy looking horses. Had someone that didn’t like me call on my horse before and the sheriff told me how much my horse should be eating per day which was not accurate. I’ve had my horse for 19 years now and she looks young. So much drama over nothing. If the Hale’s took the horses to get them healthy, why are they so reluctant on someone purchasing and caring for them? $35,000 to care for horses is no way acceptable. Sounds like that person was making a payday with friends in high places. My one horse has not cost that much to care for a 19 years.
Beautiful healthy looking horses. Had someone that didn’t like me call on my horse before and the sheriff told me how much my horse should be eating per day which was not accurate. I’ve had my horse for 19 years now and she looks young. So much drama over nothing. If the Hale’s took the horses to get them healthy, why are they so reluctant on someone purchasing and caring for them? $35,000 to care for horses is no way acceptable. Sounds like that person was making a payday with friends in high places. My one horse has not cost that much to care for a 19 years.
Beautiful healthy looking horses. Had someone that didn’t like me call on my horse before and the sheriff told me how much my horse should be eating per day which was not accurate. I’ve had my horse for 19 years now and she looks young. So much drama over nothing. If the Hale’s took the horses to get them healthy, why are they so reluctant on someone purchasing and caring for them? $35,000 to care for horses is no way acceptable. Sounds like that person was making a payday with friends in high places. My one horse has not cost that much to care for a 19 years.
Beautiful healthy looking horses. Had someone that didn’t like me call on my horse before and the sheriff told me how much my horse should be eating per day which was not accurate. I’ve had my horse for 19 years now and she looks young. So much drama over nothing. If the Hale’s took the horses to get them healthy, why are they so reluctant on someone purchasing and caring for them? $35,000 to care for horses is no way acceptable. Sounds like that person was making a payday with friends in high places. My one horse has not cost that much to care for a 19 years.
My question would be , what gives Michael Hale rhe right to confiscate these horse and have them removed to Mr. Bulles care ? Seems to me like he has over stepped his duty and stolen these horses. I’m assuming the contract to provide horses would be with Ky State Parks and not Barren county. Now when can the citizens of Barren County expect to receive the tax money back that was spent on this fiasco ?