PALMETTO, Fla. -- As Debbie Stephens drove towards the cries of her assistant Sunday morning, nothing in her decades of competitive horseback riding could prepare her for what she saw.
"It's the most horrific thing I've ever witnessed in all my years of horses," she says.
European show horse Phedras de Blondel was found slaughtered in a far corner of the property, all four limbs cut off at the shoulder.
Although the horse had only arrived from Germany two days earlier, Stephens doesn't think she or the animal were targeted. She says the horse was an easy grab in his stall, and the location of her farm at the intersection of a major highway made for a perfect getaway.
"This horse was just at the wrong place at the wrong time," says Stephens.
Employees say it's been hard sleeping at night knowing 35 more horses are on property.
The farm is adding motion sensing lights, night time security personnel, and upgrading their security cameras to include night vision. In the meantime, the front entrance will be locked at night, and the lights in the barn will stay on.
Rider Hailey Feldman says she still trusts this barn to keep her horse safe.
"There is nothing safer than this barn," says Feldman. "There is nothing safer than riding with Debbie Stephens."
In the midst of an illustrious career, Stephens says this experience has given her a new goal.
"It's like I lost total emotion, and it was like something clicked, she says. "I am going to eradicate this, and not let any other horse die like this horse did."
Centennial Equestrians farms set up a GoFundMe page (https://www.gofundme.com/centennialfarm) to help raise reward money. In a day, the page has exceeded its goal of $30,000.
Anyone with information leading to an arrest is eligible for the reward. Anonymous tips can be submitted to Manatee County Crime Stoppers at 866-634-TIPS or online at http://www.manateecrimestoppers.com/
How long will Stephens continue to search for those responsible?
"Til' the day I die."
