[QUOTE=chunky munky;8374198]
I think to imply that Steve and Debbie were involved in an insurance scam is extremely below even the manners of this board.[/QUOTE]
Yes, it is certainly in poor taste to suspect respected, wealthy, and influential people of committing such a crime. I’m sure it has never happened before and we should all have the good manners to realize it must have been a groom or the help or some Cuban person who could kill a horse for money.
Perhaps it takes “respected, wealthy and influential people” to be victims of this crime in order for it to get the attention and resolution it deserves.
No disrespect to the owners. I cannot fathom how horrible this is for them.
I wasn’t implying ANYTHING. I’m just rereading HOT BLOOD and it’s on my mind. No one would’ve thought that anyone in those circles would’ve done what they did either. I don’t know the Stephens at all only by reputation and don’t believe they were involved in anything. As far as below the manners on this board I’ve seen some very lowdown stuff.
[QUOTE=chunky munky;8374198]
I think to imply that Steve and Debbie were involved in an insurance scam is extremely below even the manners of this board.[/QUOTE]
I’m sorry but it’s super fishy that the horse was “slaughtered” on a “remote” part of the farm. Do you realize how heavy horse meat would be? Or how much there would be? You can’t just field dress a horse and leave a big facility like that on a Saturday evening with 4 horse legs sticking out of your backpack. In all honesty, the legs aren’t the meatiest parts either; the more valuable portions would be hind quarters, back “straps”, and shoulders. The legs are basically all tendons, ligaments, and bone.
And honestly? How easy do you think it would be to wander onto a large farm and just lead a horse out of a stall? It doesn’t sound like it happened late at night on Saturday, but earlier in the evening, when other people would still be around. Someone would notice that you don’t belong and wouldn’t let you lead the new prized horse from his stall.
Anyway, super suspicious.
It is unfortunately, very logical to me, to think that the recent slaughter house raids did not put every shady individual involved behind bars. There have been reports over the years of horses being abducted from farms in FL and found slaughtered - either on site or miles away in the woods. The brief description given of how the Stephens’ horse was found, was pretty consistent with how other bodies have been found.
Are there unanswered questions? Sure. But I think it is a HUGE reach to point a finger toward the Stephens. Debbie seems to be a wonderful horsewoman who has already had her fair share of awful things happen in her life. I feel very sorry for everyone involved.
Maybe I’m paranoid, but I wouldn’t send a horse to FL this winter without having armed guards sit by its stall 24/7. It doesn’t matter why this horse was chosen or whether or not it was meant to send a message. The demand is going to be met in some way and the vile individuals capable of doing this are not all behind bars yet.
Yourcolorful addiction - the farm is almost next to the interstate with, it appears, paddocks right on the access road adjacent. And I’d read the articles thoroughly, and listen to the news videos carefully before I’d shoot my mouth off with such a nasty opinion. Your theory holds no water.
I can rather, envision someone watching the horses in the paddock from the highway, and with a truck waiting by the road, trailing them back to the barn at night, then waiting for all to be shut down.
It is unfortunately, very logical to me, to think that the recent slaughter house raids did not put every shady individual involved behind bars. There have been reports over the years of horses being abducted from farms in FL and found slaughtered - either on site or miles away in the woods. The brief description given of how the Stephens’ horse was found, was pretty consistent with how other bodies have been found.
Are there unanswered questions? Sure. But I think it is a HUGE reach to point a finger toward the Stephens. Debbie seems to be a wonderful horsewoman who has already had her fair share of awful things happen in her life. I feel very sorry for everyone involved.
Maybe I’m paranoid, but I wouldn’t send a horse to FL this winter without having armed guards sit by its stall 24/7. It doesn’t matter why this horse was chosen or whether or not it was meant to send a message. The demand is going to be met in some way and the vile individuals capable of doing this are not all behind bars yet.
Remote could refer to distance from the house and barn not neccessarily distance from a roadway.
How horrible for any one to find their horse like that! So sad…
This is horrible. Disgusting. I pray they shot him in the skull & didn’t put a knife between his withers like they do in Mexico to save the bullet 
I’d guess this is mob related, intended target, and slaughtered with the intent of resale. Maybe it’s random. Barn near road, or followed the shipper out of quarantine, etc.
I can’t fathom the owners organizing this type of event. However, insurance scams are not unknown to the industry & here on COTH we don’t know if there are other business, or silent partners, etc. involved in this horse. It is ‘the perfect (dispicae) crime.’ Some interesting people involved in all levels of the sport…
That’s so true. The stories didn’t state if any one else owned this horse. It’s a fact of life that anyone will do anything when money is involved. Regardless of who or what they hurt! It was a very brazen thing to do. Noone heard anything in the dead of night? No dogs? I don’t know because I’ve never lived with a barn attached to my home but I would think that something would’ve be heard. Animals aren’t quiet and certainly not a horse at night when it’s taken from his stall but then again he was in new surroundings, unfamiliar routines happening so who knows. I sure hope that FDLE is heavily involved with figuring out what happenned.
[QUOTE=goodmorning;8374318]
This is horrible. Disgusting. I pray they shot him in the skull & didn’t put a knife between his withers like they do in Mexico to save the bullet I’d guess this is mob related, intended target, and slaughtered with the intent of resale. Maybe it’s random. Barn near road, or followed the shipper out of quarantine, etc.
I can’t fathom the owners organizing this type of event. However, insurance scams are not unknown to the industry & here on COTH we don’t know if there are other business, or silent partners, etc. involved in this horse. It is ‘the perfect (dispicae) crime.’ Some interesting people involved in all levels of the sport…[/QUOTE]
The whole thing is just sad and sickening, and on the heels of what has been going on at that farm in VA, overwhelming.
I just hope the poor horse did not suffer.
Recent articles this morning. :no:
http://www.heraldtribune.com/article/20151025/BREAKING/151029792
http://wfla.com/2015/10/26/trusting-gentle-horse-tortured-dismembered-in-manatee-county/
[QUOTE=CVPeg;8374401]
Recent articles this morning. :no:
http://www.heraldtribune.com/article/20151025/BREAKING/151029792
http://wfla.com/2015/10/26/trusting-gentle-horse-tortured-dismembered-in-manatee-county/[/QUOTE]
So incredibly sad. I’m glad more clues are coming out. My old trainer had a house above the barn, and you could hear everything the horses did. However, you put it out of your mind often. “Oh, that’s ____ playing with her bucket” and normal barn noise. It’s really not far fetched that you wouldn’t hear anything or would just wave it off as normal. I, too, believe it was done by criminals looking for meat. A horse like this would be in well form and able bodied, a gold trophy for anyone in the black market. If it was insurance scam, it sure was a poor try. According to recent articles, they have left behind evidence! Any “scammer” should know better, especially if you paid it big bucks.
[QUOTE=pepper1986;8374323]
Noone heard anything in the dead of night? No dogs? I don’t know because I’ve never lived with a barn attached to my home but I would think that something would’ve be heard. Animals aren’t quiet and certainly not a horse at night when it’s taken from his stall but then again he was in new surroundings, unfamiliar routines happening so who knows.[/QUOTE]
Just like the people who live right next to railroad tracks go thru their lives never really noticing the trains rumbling by that keeps the visitor awake all night, people who live close to their barn (or attached to it) do not hear the random typical horse noises.
[QUOTE=trubandloki;8374438]
Just like the people who live right next to railroad tracks go thru their lives never really noticing the trains rumbling by that keeps the visitor awake all night, people who live close to their barn (or attached to it) do not hear the random typical horse noises.[/QUOTE]
This is absolutely true. Some years ago I lived a few blocks away from railroad tracks. The neighborhood was very nice, but unfortunately an active rail line went through it. For the first month or two I would wake up 1-2x/night when the train would roll through, horn blaring. It was awful. Eventually I got used to it and slept through it.
I can totally see someone sleeping through barn noise if they are used to it.
[QUOTE=PeteyPie;8374209]
Yes, it is certainly in poor taste to suspect respected, wealthy, and influential people of committing such a crime. I’m sure it has never happened before and we should all have the good manners to realize it must have been a groom or the help or some Cuban person who could kill a horse for money.[/QUOTE]
I stand by my original statement. In no way did I ever imply that I thought it was the help, or any other ethnic group. You will find none of that sentiment from me. But anybody that knows Debbie would know that she has always been an animal advocate. And simple logic tells you if one chose to do an insurance job it would be much easier with a horse already in the barn than to go to Europe and import one then have it killed right after it got landed. Debbie and Steve have earned their good reputation after 50 years in the business. They have nothing to try to prove to anyone nor do they have any financial or desperation motive at this point in their lives. Excuse me for not jumping on your conspiracy bandwagon.
[QUOTE=yourcolorfuladdiction;8374245]
I’m sorry but it’s super fishy that the horse was “slaughtered” on a “remote” part of the farm. Do you realize how heavy horse meat would be? Or how much there would be? You can’t just field dress a horse and leave a big facility like that on a Saturday evening with 4 horse legs sticking out of your backpack. In all honesty, the legs aren’t the meatiest parts either; the more valuable portions would be hind quarters, back “straps”, and shoulders. The legs are basically all tendons, ligaments, and bone.
And honestly? How easy do you think it would be to wander onto a large farm and just lead a horse out of a stall? It doesn’t sound like it happened late at night on Saturday, but earlier in the evening, when other people would still be around. Someone would notice that you don’t belong and wouldn’t let you lead the new prized horse from his stall.
Anyway, super suspicious.[/QUOTE]
Except that this is EXACTLY what has been happening in the Miami area for years…horses taken out of their stalls and butchered on the property and in some instances, close to living quarters. At one point they were just taking the legs, which led investigators to believe that the meat was to feed dogs used in fighting.
It’s all absolutely appalling and terrible. I can imagine an (unfortunately) expanding market for motion detectors outside horse stalls, alarms that sound if doors are opened, etc. in addition to cameras and lights everywhere. Seriously - how much worse can this world get.
[QUOTE=pepper1986;8374228]
I wasn’t implying ANYTHING. I’m just rereading HOT BLOOD and it’s on my mind. No one would’ve thought that anyone in those circles would’ve done what they did either. I don’t know the Stephens at all only by reputation and don’t believe they were involved in anything. As far as below the manners on this board I’ve seen some very lowdown stuff.[/QUOTE]
The whole point of the horse killing scheme was to kill the horses in a manner that would NOT stick out as being unusual and would look like colic/an accident. Not to kill the horses in a really graphic/unusual way such that it would have to be reported to the police/newsmedia.
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