With ribs showing signs of starvation and matted fur, cart fulls of minature and full sized horses and ponies were seized by Marion County Animal Services to receive much needed treatment.

County officials say over the years they have received several complaints about Francine Derby's treatment of her animals.

Each time they paid the farm a visit they would tell Derby what standards of treatment needed to be met, and she would meet them, at least for a little bit.

They say however, that the situation has gotten out of control and something needed to be done.

Dawn Stephens with Marion County animal control says,

"To handle this is entirely to much for one person to do and we feel the horses should be taken to better places."

For now that place is the Marion County Animal Shelter and Shocker Field near Southeast 24th street.

By Sarah Pusateri