Local deputies rescued neglected horses in Central Florida and the owner was arrested in the animal cruelty case.
Volusia County Sheriff’s deputies rescued three neglected horses and arrested the animals’ owner, 57-year-old Twila Guzman, of DeLeon Springs, on charges of felony animal cruelty. Two counts were felony cruelty to animals and three counts were unlawful confinement/abandonment of animals without sufficient food or water.
Deputies rescued three horses: a brown horse named “Kash,” a white pony named “Candy,” and a white horse named “Marshmallow.”
The investigation began in December of 2024 after deputies responded to Winning Wood Trail, DeLeon Springs, in reference to an animal complaint of a thin horse on the property.
The responding deputy spoke to Guzman and observed Kash, a 26-year-old Sorel horse, to be in poor shape. Guzman told deputies she was working to get medical care for Kash. It was later determined Guzman scheduled an appointment for Kash to be seen by an equine dentist on January 16, 2025, but Guzman canceled the appointment the day before saying she didn’t think it was a good idea to work on him as his condition had rapidly declined, according to law enforcement.
The deputy continued to attempt to check on the progress of the care for Kash and was finally able to meet with Guzman.
The next day, deputies with the VSO Agriculture Crimes Unit arrived at Cemetery Road in Seville, a property where Kash and Candy had been relocated to, and seized them. Marshmallow was located at a property in Pierson.
The neglected horses in Central Florida were taken to a rescue facility where a veterinarian completed an assessment on each horse:
Kash’s spine, hip, and rib bones were clearly visible through the skin and his hooves appeared to be overgrown and in need of a trim. The veterinarian also said Kash had visible signs of thrush, a bacterial infection that occurs on the hoof of a horse. The veterinarian noted Kash was in extremely poor condition with multiple abscesses through his hooves and said his life expectancy was very grim.
The spine, ribs, and hip bones of the second horse, Candy, was also visible through her skin even with an abundance of fur. Candy was seen laying on the ground multiple times when she arrived at the facility for unknown reasons. The veterinarian noted Candy had an abnormally slow heart rate and abnormal breathing in her lungs.
Marshmallow’s hooves appeared to be overgrown, and the veterinarian noted the animal also had an abnormal breathing rhythm.
Guzman told deputies she did not wish to surrender her animals to the sheriff’s office. Deputies determined Guzman failed to provide basic care to the animals, such as having their hooves maintained, or proper feeding to maintain a healthy weight.
A warrant was issued for Guzman’s arrest. Guzman was taken into custody and booked into the Volusia County Branch Jail.
