Galtee Farm LLC , Midway, Kentucky

[citabria]

I am appealing for help from all Thoroughbred owners, breeders and trainers in Kentucky.

I am seeking all previous clients who have had horses boarded or standing at Galtee Farm LLC , Midway, Kentucky.

The below mare was one boarded at this facility. She was one of 30-50 horses who were relocated from Galtee Farm recently having been boarded on the property for a period of time that did not exceed 3 months.


It is our understanding that this has become a perpetual problem, with many victims.
The absentee owner of this particular mare paid Galtee Farm a total $130,000 PLUS some in boarding fee's from December to April. Clearly that money did not buy horse feed. So where did it go? Almost every horse, all top of the line bred TB's in show condition before going to Galtee Farms, some bred to $20,000 breeding fee stallions, had been starved. Subsequently foals were lost.

Animal control and others in Midway said that this is not an isolated incident on this particular farm.They are called on a regular basis.

If you know of anyone who has had their horses boarded and who had to call in animal control, law enforcement and others to retrieve their animals after they had been starved with in Galtee Farm care PLEASE contact me without delay. Please help us stop this level of abuse and neglect.


Denise
Four Winds-Thunder Country Dressage and Sport Horses
Ruidoso
New Mexico

[lucalucaluca]

this is so sad. i just don't understand the 130,000 plus paid by the owner in 5 months (december-april). why? did he pay a stallion fee in addition to boarding? were anyone at the farm at the moment the starving horses were seized?

[citabria]

The mares were all purchased in foal.

The mare in this photo is heavy in foal.

I believe that animal control, law enforcement and a horse appraiser was present, along with the owner.

At one point the owners of Galtee refused to allow anyone to walk onto their property - not even to do a welfare check on the horses. I also believe that it took two trips, then horses went missing. It was a bit chaotic.

This is bad enough but when you find out that this is a frequent situation I'm confused as to why someone hasn't brought more publicity to the situation and put an end to it.

[Cree]

That is disgusting. Those poor horses.

[citabria]

This mare was delivered at the Galtee Farm December 20th and picked up April 3rd or 4th... so it would be less than 5 months.

[lucalucaluca]

all the horses, mares and foals were saved? are they ok now?

[citabria]

Yes, all but two were relocated to another TB farm earlier this week. There are two who are missing and the lawyer said that within 5 days he can rectify the situation and recover the horses.

The owner is a friend of mine who just paid over $700,000 for these horses in recent months. But it isn't the financial aspect that is the priority. It's the sheer cruelty of this act. It's the fact that a farm who has a fairly well known name around Lexington, Kentucky can do this, and has been doing this for quite a while.

Through animal control a stallion was mentioned. It was clearly a high dollar stallion who may still be standing in the Lexington area. Hopefully we can reach the owner, and all the other horse owners who have had a nightmare recovering their starving horses.

Today I took the time to start contacting everyone I could. The Blood Horse, TB Times, Kentucky Horse. I put an ad. on Craigslist - in the Lexington area, and someone contacted me and suggested that I try this forum.

In previous cases it went to civil trial, and I have been led to understand that judgements were won, yet have no idea if those judgements were paid.. but not one person has taken the time to put an end to it. To go public and demand action. I guess this is where I say, "I'm your Huckleberry" because I detest abuse and abusers.
Until then this farm will continue doing this over and over again - with no end in sight.
It seems to be working for them - financially.


The owner of Galtee is Irish. I am British.

[TB Dreamin']

It is me...I saw, I go to school ACROSS the street from this farm,...and something must be done.

If nothing more than the mere mention of the name of the farm makes an ugly feeling in your stomach-but I cannot just sit by and do nothing. This is inexcusable.

This is also very sad for the ones who suffer this very cruel injustice.

My vet told me just 2 days ago that she has heard of many situations like this, due to the hay shortage/drought/etc. and that she knows that many people are simply dropping their horses off at their vet's office or turning them loose on their neighbor's property.

Have all of the horses that were at the hands of this farm been found suitable homes? If not, who can help? How do we help?

This is inexcusable.

[citabria]

Oh, these horses are owned by a TB breeder. A breeder who only recently paid $700,000 for the horses that were then sent to Galtee Farm to foal, or stand at stud.
These are not rescue's. The owner JUST paid $55,000 for one mare 8 weeks ago and it is now a walking skeleton. The owner is simply heartbroken.

A total of $130,00 was paid in boarding fee from December 20th to April 3rd - so with so much money changing hands there was no reason for a lack of feed. I could have hauled alfalfa from New Mexico for that price.

There was a charge of $4000+ for trimming. Yet every horse had such long hooves that it would be impossible to justify the $4,000+ - they had never been touched. Period!

I am thoroughly shocked. Simply stunned.

I received this e-mail a few minutes ago:

Liam Gallagher has been a blight on the equine industry in Central Kentucky for a lot of years and everyone in the Thoroughbred horse industry has turned a blind eye. It is time he was brought out into the light just what a terrible person he really is.

Why has this been allowed for such a long time?

I am going off the web site and may or may not check back. I rarely give out personal information on-line but this time I am going to do so if such isn't against posting rules?

This is a response to one letter. I'm going to leave it as a plea for information. Thanking you TB' Dreamin for inviting me to Pedigree Query Forum.

I have contacted the Blood Horse, Thoroughbred Times, I contacted every single race or TB magazine, newspaper, reporter, investigator and trainer/breeder in Kentucky and beyond.
This evening I contacted "Horse & Hound" and "Riding" in England.

The owner of these horses is in the same position as most people. They can't afford to have their name involved, certainly not at this point with litigation starting.

So I am standing in the gap. I certainly promise to keep all information confidential - just as I promised the owner that I would keep their name confidential.

I have heard that the owner of Galtee is from Ireland. I am British. I trained horses for members of the Royal family for many years and have a lot of friends in Ireland through that contact. It's been a lot of years since I was in the Thoroughbred industryand even then it was in the Steeplechase & Point to Point industry.

By the mid 1980's I was strictly dressage and 3 day event. Though I did some freelance writing for almost all international equine magazines both in America and in Europe and I directed a breed registry for some years.

But no matter where one goes, England, Ireland or the United States the horse industry is regionally "clannish." It just happens and the cloak of secrecy almost seems impenetrability.
Yet it isn't. You can always find a crack in the wall if you keep tapping away at it.

I abhor abuse and neglect with a passion. I have nothing against these people, I don't even know them. I just know what they have done and have been doing for years. I am very disappointed that a fellow countryman would bring such a black mark upon us. I am so disappointed because I classify the Irish as some of the best horsemen in both the training and breeding world. This is shameful.

I am starting in Kentuckyand I am ending in Ireland. I am simply so upset that this level of abuse and neglect has been going on for years.. and it must stop. No horse deserves this.

Any more information that anyone may offer will be confidential. I have nothing to gain by not doing so. I really need to contact those who have had to remove their horses under such circumstances. I am hoping and praying that the more I reach out for information the more people will surface.

The one thing that one can guarantee. I'm not going away and I won't stop. Not until this horrific story has been told here and in Ireland and the abuse and neglect has been stopped once and for all.
And if I met this gentleman I would tell him so.

I am here to stay. And I will uncover this man's sins.

Any further information would be gratefully appreciated. Thanking you

God Bless

Denise E. Auchmoedy-Bundy
Ruidoso
New Mexico.
[email protected]
575-973-5384

[citabria]

Oh, these horses are owned by a TB breeder. A breeder who only recently paid $700,000 for the horses that were then sent to Galtee Farm to foal, or stand at stud.
These are not rescue's. The owner JUST paid $55,000 for one mare 8 weeks ago and it is now a walking skeleton. The owner is simply heartbroken.

A total of $130,00 was paid in boarding fee from December 20th to April 3rd - so with so much money changing hands there was no reason for a lack of feed. I could have hauled alfalfa from New Mexico for that price.

There was a charge of $4000+ for trimming. Yet every horse had such long hooves that it would be impossible to justify the $4,000+ - they had never been touched. Period!

I am thoroughly shocked. Simply stunned.

I received this e-mail a few minutes ago:

Liam Gallagher has been a blight on the equine industry in Central Kentucky for a lot of years and everyone in the Thoroughbred horse industry has turned a blind eye. It is time he was brought out into the light just what a terrible person he really is.

Why has this been allowed for such a long time?

I am going off the web site and may or may not check back. I rarely give out personal information on-line but this time I am going to do so if such isn't against posting rules?

This is a response to one letter. I'm going to leave it as a plea for information. Thanking you TB' Dreamin for inviting me to Pedigree Query Forum.

I have contacted the Blood Horse, Thoroughbred Times, I contacted every single race or TB magazine, newspaper, reporter, investigator and trainer/breeder in Kentucky and beyond.
This evening I contacted "Horse & Hound" and "Riding" in England.

The owner of these horses is in the same position as most people. They can't afford to have their name involved, certainly not at this point with litigation starting.

So I am standing in the gap. I certainly promise to keep all information confidential - just as I promised the owner that I would keep their name confidential.

I have heard that the owner of Galtee is from Ireland. I am British. I trained horses for members of the Royal family for many years and have a lot of friends in Ireland through that contact. It's been a lot of years since I was in the Thoroughbred industryand even then it was in the Steeplechase & Point to Point industry.

By the mid 1980's I was strictly dressage and 3 day event. Though I did some freelance writing for almost all international equine magazines both in America and in Europe and I directed a breed registry for some years.

But no matter where one goes, England, Ireland or the United States the horse industry is regionally "clannish." It just happens and the cloak of secrecy almost seems impenetrability.
Yet it isn't. You can always find a crack in the wall if you keep tapping away at it.

I abhor abuse and neglect with a passion. I have nothing against these people, I don't even know them. I just know what they have done and have been doing for years. I am very disappointed that a fellow countryman would bring such a black mark upon us. I am so disappointed because I classify the Irish as some of the best horsemen in both the training and breeding world. This is shameful.

I am starting in Kentuckyand I am ending in Ireland. I am simply so upset that this level of abuse and neglect has been going on for years.. and it must stop. No horse deserves this.

Any more information that anyone may offer will be confidential. I have nothing to gain by not doing so. I really need to contact those who have had to remove their horses under such circumstances. I am hoping and praying that the more I reach out for information the more people will surface.

The one thing that one can guarantee. I'm not going away and I won't stop. Not until this horrific story has been told here and in Ireland and the abuse and neglect has been stopped once and for all.
And if I met this gentleman I would tell him so.

I am here to stay. And I will uncover this man's sins.

Any further information would be gratefully appreciated. Thanking you

God Bless

Denise E. Auchmoedy-Bundy
Ruidoso
New Mexico.
[email protected]
575-973-5384

[ratherrapid]

i'd applaud intervention by anyone particularly from the distance, ii'd need more information as your posts include several puzzling assertions. e.g. you'd wonder how local authorities would permit the situation you allege to continue. your posts claims information from "animal control" without specifying exactly who in "animal control" you spoke with, and what they told you. where'd you get the pictures, and who pays $130,000 to board a mare? I'm without specific reason to disbelieve your post, but would recommend more information.

[CS]

where'd you get the pictures, and who pays $130,000 to board a mare? I'm without specific reason to disbelieve your post, but would recommend more information.

If I read this correctly, these are her friend's horses. I also think the $130,000 board bills were for this person's entire group of horses - including the $700,000 in bloodstock recently purchased and boarded there. If this person owns 30 horses boarded there, 5 months of board with vet, farrier, etc could reach the $130K mark. I could be wrong - but this was my interpretation.

[citabria]

The friend who owns these horses never intended to get me involved in this mess. And, quite truthfully they may sincerely regret it, for they know that I take abuse very seriously.

While buying broodmares and race prospects they frequently sent me photo's and video's of prospects asking if I thought they had dressage or 3 Day Event potential, or simply showing me the broodmares or weanlings or yearlings they had bought.
Asking my opinions, just doing the things that friends do.

So I had seen all of these horses post sale/auction when they were purchased. Last week they sent me the photo I posted and was simply horrified at what had happened. This is the condition they found the horses in, and they were simply grief struck.
They telephoned me right after I had seen the photo and quite honestly at that point all I could advice was to get the horses out - and to stay away from this fellow.

So during the time period a crew of people were trying to get the horses out and I was on my cell phone almost non-stop trying to support and calm my friend.
It was flooding after heavy rains, they couldn't find horses. I am a thousand or so miles away and could offer nothing but support without function really. But each conversation was repeated, and we went over what animal control told them, and what the lawyer said, and what the laws are.

When I heard that this is a not unusual on this farm, according to animal control, alarm bells started to go off. Sometimes you just start to ask why... and my question was, "Why has this not been stopped." If this is a regular event why has someone not stopped it? I understand the political atmosphere in the horse industry but this is a tad bit extreme.

So I first started to put ad's up to see if anyone had experienced such a problem - first hand. Not unsubstantiated gossip - but factual, documented facts.

I know that this facility is guilty of abuse of these horses. I do not know, as a fact with documentation to validate it, that this has happened before.
This is what I am trying to acquire by going public.

The fact that so many people have contacted me gives me reason to believe that the animal control representative who spoke to my friend was telling the truth.
I have been inundated with e-mails - yet at this writing I still do not have the documented proof that I seek.

All I can do is gather facts and if enough proof comes to the surface take action to try to stop this from ever happening again.

No horse should suffer this way. It isn't necessary - it isn't acceptable - it shouldn't be tolerated.

Kentucky may close ranks and all those involved turn into the three brass monkeys. But I won't stop trying. Galtee may file against me for trying. But that won't stop me.

There is so much we cannot control, cannot prevent.. but we should never allow blatant abuse to become acceptable. It isn't. If I was not honest and honorable in my intentions I would have never posted my name and contact information.
I am confident that Galtee are more than aware that I am asking questions.

[springboro]

It is a bit puzzling that there is no other information online about this farm and this alleged abuse. Google shows nothing in recent news of anything like this. Can anyone in Lexington confirm this story?

I used to raise my hackles at every single internet story I saw, and I once was guilty of forwarding on mass emails until I heard of urban myth stories.

I'll wait to hear the entire story, and not from a friend of a friend (by the way - I would be furious at my "friend" if they posted something like this without my permission or knowledge, however well intended the goal).

Someone with info? Can anyone confirm that thi s farm has known issues?

[ratherrapid]

(posted this one prior to seeing Springboro's post. similar qs.)
I'd have to have an open mind here until facts are presented. personally i'm puzzled by the tone and manner and basic naivity that would permit 30 horses unsupervised to almost starve. sorry for the skepticism, but this is stuff of national headlines instead of somewhat peculiar posts on pedigree forum. the approach and story seem unusual starting with how you can own 30 (valuable) starving horses and be without a clue. then we get to the bothersome facts that this farm has a reputation and yet your friends still boarded their horses there without supervision. is there proof e.g. that the $130,000 was paid. while i hestitate to mention, perhaps the horses still need looking after.

if this is all legit, and from 1000 miles away, i'd want ot be sure, you might consider calling the office of the prosecuting attorney for the county, and see where they are on criminal action. i'd request to speak with an assistant prosecutor instead of secretary. quite possibly from the prosecutor handling the situation you get the full scoop. if this really did happen and the farm instead of the owners are responsible, best wishes that you forge full speed ahead!