Animal rescue teams have removed more than 16 emaciated and neglected horses from a Parryville farm.

The horses were taken to a Quakertown rescue organization, said Carbon County Emergency Management coordinator Mark Nalesnik.Although three died, including a pregnant mare, the others are expected to make a full recovery.One was a stallion, the other was the pregnant mare, the third was a male horse that couldn’t stand, despite their best efforts.The stallion died, the mare and the other horse were euthanizedDiane Sharpless, the coordinator for the Carbon Animal Response Team, said the situation was horrific.Team members were provided with counseling to help them cope with the emotional impact.“The entire situation was tough on our team members. There were counselors there to help them through it,” she said.CART members have since gone to visit the horses, Sharpless said.“There were a lot of animals on the property. We took horses to the Quakertown veterinary clinic. Carbon County Friends of Animals also assisted.Getting some of the horses onto the transport was difficult, she said.“The horses were not used to being handled,” Sharpless said.Officials will not disclose who owned the horses or exactly where the farm is in Parryville.Carbon County animal rescuer Donna Crum said the last horse has been removed, and that state police at Lehighton, who are in charge of the case, would issue a press release perhaps by the end of the week.Working ahead of the massive snowstorm that hit the eastern United States last weekend, rescuers, including County Animal Response Teams from Carbon, Lehigh/Northampton, and Schuylkill counties, worked frantically to help the starving horses.The rescued horses were taken to Last Chance Ranch in Quakertown.Efforts to speak with someone there were unsuccessful early Tuesday.However, the organization posted an account of horses being rescued on Jan. 22 from an undisclosed location.“With the impending snowstorm, it was imperative to get the most critical horses to the vet,” the post states.Last Chance Ranch helped get the horses to the Quakertown Veterinary Clinic that day. The horses were to be taken to Days End Farm Horse Rescue (in Woodbine, Maryland).“On Tuesday, Jan. 26, after the storm subsided, our rescue efforts continued. We were back on the site and transported an additional seven horses, 20 sheep and one dog to our facility for emergency care,” Last Chance Ranch posted.“Of the horses, three are severely emaciated with a Henneke Body Score of 0, needing around-the-clock care. Two are pregnant and the other two have a Henneke Body Score between 1 and 2.”The Henneke Body Score is a numerical system for evaluating the amount of fat on a horse’s body. The ideal range is between 4 and 6.Four additional horses remained on the scene and could be transported until the snow was cleared, Last Chance posted.“These horses all have a Henneke Body Score between 2 and 3 and are being fed by those who assisted with the rescue efforts until it is safe enough to transport them,” the organization said.“The three emaciated horses that arrived at our facility on Tuesday were not able to stand during the trailer ride. These horses had to be pulled off the trailer and carried into our barn.“The worst went to Quakertown Vet Clinic for emergency vet care. The efforts of the team of staff, volunteers and newly made friends for these horses were amazing. Everyone pulled together to literally carry these stoic horses not giving up their will to live,” Last Chance Ranch posted.