PRESTONSBURG – Its ribs moved slightly with each breath, but the rest of the 2-year-old horse’s body remained motionless as concerned people at the Prestonsburg Equine Center did what they could to make the emaciated animal comfortable.

The horse, reportedly belonging to James Castle, was found near Cow Creek on Tuesday and transported to the center to receive care, but its condition worsened over the course of two nights, and it slipped from the special harness that held it upright on Wednesday night and landed on its side, where it remained on Thursday as workers attempted to get the animal standing again.

Castle, 25, was arrested and charged with second-degree cruelty to animals on Wednesday.

According to the police report, the horse was extremely malnourished. The arresting officer also took pictures of the horse.

“I don’t see how somebody can sleep at night knowing their horse was out there starving like this,” said Pat Goble, manager of the Prestonsburg Equine Center. “He has such a will to live.”

The horse was back in the harness a little after noon on Thursday, and Prestonsburg Mayor Jerry Fannin praised all of those involved in caring for the animal.

“It’s back to eating a little now,” Fannin said. “Dr. Rudolph Ousley came up on Wednesday and gave it a lot of medicine and vitamins. He probably did a couple hundred dollars of work pretty much for free. Also, people have been donating stuff like feed and other supplies.”

According to Fannin, who helped remove the horse from the property where it was located, neighbors said that another horse is somewhere on the property.

“They said it was in just about as bad of shape,” Fannin said. “When we found this horse, it was lying on the ground in a garage. We are trying to locate the other horse.”

Castle is being held at the Floyd County Detention Center on a $2,500 cash bond.

For more information on donating items to help the horse, contact Jerry Fannin at (606) 886-2335.