Rutherford County horse stable owner Jason Lancaster was indicted for a barrage of new charges last week, including nine counts of animal cruelty. Lancaster, 51, is now facing more than 20 crimes involving underaged girls, including statutory rape. Lancaster was already put behind bars in September, charged with raping a teen girl, and bribing her to keep quiet.
Twenty malnourished and injured horses were seized from Lancaster’s Pinnacle Stables in Christiana, when deputies investigated the rape allegations. Many of the animals had their ribs or hip bones protruding, according to Jenny Earhart, owner of the non-profit Premier Equine Rehab in Bedford County.
FOX 17 News has learned this wasn’t the first time emaciated horses were found in Lancaster’s care.
Earhart took in the horses, which are now recovering and putting on weight. However she said they still have a way to go. One horse, Splash, was found severely underweight and overworked.
“He was really sore in his body, where they had just continually used him,” said Earhart.
Earhart said the horses were made to go on trail rides and offer other services like photography sessions, while many were starving and without horseshoes. Some had body sores and cuts.
Earhart named one horse “Hopper” since he doesn’t put weight on his front hoof because of a deep gash. It went untreated, and became infected. Earhart is now working with equine veterinarians to help Hopper relearn how to walk. He was also extremely underweight, with bones protruding.
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