PASQUOTANK COUNTY, Nc. — Testimony got underway Monday in Elizabeth City in a case of alleged horse neglect at the Skyward Pines Equestrian Center in Pasquotank County.
This is a story News 3 has been following since we first learned of the allegations last summer.
In July 2024, more than 20 horses were removed from the facility. Monday, Lori Murphy, who is charged along with her daughter, testified.
Watch: Horses taken out of Elizabeth City equestrian facility, transported by volunteers
Due to time, she was the only witness called by her defense attorney.
She spoke about how she says she cared for the horses, how long she had the horses, challenges she had getting some to eat, and issues she said some of the horses had before they came to her facility.
Watch: Couple hoping to get law changed after North Carolina horse rescue
Prior to her testimony, the prosecution called a representative from the U.S. Equine Rescue League and a veterinarian to testify about the condition of the horses when they were seized.
Two Pasquotank County sheriff's deputies were also called to talk about the process they went through to investigate the reported malnourished horses and have them seized.
Both the defense attorney and prosecutor declined to interview after court, but a woman who is rehabbing one of the seized horses did.
Regina Waterfield-Hatchell has spoken with her before about her work with the horses. Monday, she said she was really struck by Murphy’s testimony.
Watch: 23 horses seized from Pasquotank County facility; rehabilitation begins
“It really struck me, as a professional horse owner, that she says her trained horses, she worked at racetracks, and that she denied that these horses were thin," ," Waterfield-Hatchell said. "In her mind, I don’t know what she was thinking that these horses were okay and she was allowing them to be ridden."
As of Monday, testimony was scheduled to resume at 11 a.m. Feb. 6. The defense attorney planned to call more witnesses. He also said he anticipates the judge ruling on this case Thursday.
