Editor’s note: The Times-Journal learned Tuesday morning the rescued horses that were moved to foster homes last weekend will not be sold, but rather adopted by caring families at no cost. The only funds generated by Arabian Rescue Mission (www.arabianrescuemission.org) is through donations. We appreciate the organization’s president/founder Terry Figueroa for helping us correct the information in the article below.

For Dr. Samuel Evans, the past two or so years have been tough.

He has struggled to fight through what he calls a “botched” surgical procedure, a resulting infection and now a recovery that his him confined to a wheelchair or to crutches.

Then last week, as a result of his injury, and “people taking advantage” of him he says, more than half of his stock of Arabian and Arabian-mix horses are no longer his.

Last weekend, in cooperation with the New Jersey-based Arabian Horse Rescue, Evans said goodbye to 22 horses, which he could no longer take care of and, according to officials with the Rescue, were in critical condition.

“If one is death, than these horses were a two,” said Terry Figueroa, the Rescue’s president, founder and CEO. “We were able to work with Dr. Evans in taking these animals and finding them a good home.”

Figueroa said the horses that were taken, many of which were pregnant or were still weaning, were malnourished and some were “infested with worms.”

Evans said he had been paying individuals to take care of his stock, but was “being taken advantage of.”

“They were taking the money but not doing the work,” Evans said.

Since the Rescue came to his home during the weekend of Oct. 30, Evans has hired new and additional help — help recommended by local animal experts — to care for his remaining 12 horses.

“The animals that are still there are in good health,” Figueroa said. “We just removed the ones that were most in danger and who needed the most care.”

Through a network of contacts throughout the state, Figueroa, who had returned home last week to New Jersey, was able to find temporary and adoptive homes for the horses.

Evans said Monday he was relieved the horses were being taken care of, and especially being taken care of by a group like the Arabian Horse Rescue.

“This group goes out and rescues horses that are being abused,” Evans said. “These horses were not being abused. I just couldn’t take care of them. They are in a good home and will be sold with the proceeds from the sale going back to the Rescue so they can go out and rescue more horses.”

Figueroa said officials with the Alabama Arabian Horse Association would check in on the remaining horses over the coming months and assist Evans if needed.

Evans said he got into Arabian horses more than 20 years ago and loves the animals. He said, once he gets able to do he wants to be able to do much of work of caring for them along with his help.

“It was just a matter of I couldn’t do it,” Evans said. “And, I had some who didn’t do what I was paying them to do.”