A horse called Maverick was close to death. He found new purpose with the Riverside County mounted deputies

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When authorities found the malnourished horse, he had so little body fat that his hip bone poked through his skin, which made it painful to lie on his side.A year later, the rescued Andalusian horse dubbed Maverick has fully recovered from his poor diet and neglect to take on a new life as a member of the Riverside County Sheriff’s Mounted Enforcement Detail, whose deputies on horseback search for missing people and patrol shopping centers, riverbeds and mountainous areas.But recovery for the 9-year-old horse was a long, difficult road.Maverick was one of several dozen animals rescued from a private property in the 5000 block of Esperanza Road in Cabazon on Aug.

14, 2024.He was emaciated, his ribs piercing, nearing death.

He was among five horses, four dogs, six puppies, 45 hens and roosters that were adopted by either Riverside County rescue partners or private adopters, according Sgt.Sean Fazio from Riverside County Animal Services.“I believe all the horses that we took went to adopters, so they’re living on and they have a purpose,” Fazio said.

“Maverick probably has the best purpose of all of them.”Months of back-and-forth led to the rescue operation, Fazio said.In 2023, authorities received multiple animal welfare complaints about the Cabazon property owned by 59-year-old Rafael Leal, according to a Riverside County news release.

Fazio first visited the property on July 23, 2024.“Myself, my lieutenant and one of our animal control officers had gone out.We were allowed on the property at first, and we kind of saw the condition of the animals,” he said.

“We quickly realized how poor the conditions were.They were not treated well, they were not fed adequately, they didn’t have clean water.”Fazio said Leal kicked them out after they were discovered on his property.

Leal was issued a notice of violation, “basically saying that he needed to take better...