Hooves and body parts of horses were discovered scattered around Spindle Farm at Hyde Heath in Amersham, Buckinghamshire as well as a mound made up of bones and skulls, it was claimed.
A total of 140 animals needed rescuing from the horse trading business run by the Gray family which was described as a ‘horror scene’ by RSPCA.
Many animals were allegedly left with little food or dry bedding and were crammed into pens that were ankle deep in their own faeces.
They were also surrounded by the rotting corpses of other animals that had been left to die of starvation, the court heard.
Vets described it as the worst case of animal cruelty they had ever seen.