SULTAN, Wash. -- Mary Peterson is sitting in jail, accused of neglecting 10 horses that were in her care.

Animal control officers say some of the horses were found in such dire shape that they may have to be euthanized. The animals were seized on Wednesday, and records indicate the incident was the second time in two months officers seized animals from Peterson.

But the woman's husband insists she has done nothing wrong. Ryan Peterson claims his wife's arrest was based on perception, not reality.

"It just completely shocks me. We've done everything we can. I'm just shocked," he said.

Ryan Peterson points to the horses officers left on his property.

"We just have the philosophy -- you feed the animals before you feed yourself," said the husband.

But animal control officers say the conditions they found were much more grim than the picture Ryan Peterson paints.

In late June, officers found a sick mare in the Petersons' care, and instructed Mary Peterson to provide immediate veterinary care for the animal.

In mid-July, the mare had not yet received any treatments, officers said. Beyond recovery, the mare had to be euthanized.

But Ryan Peterson insists he and his wife rescued the mare, who was in terrible shape when they took her in.

"We had her two weeks. We were new to property. Just in June, we were trying are best we could. Neighbor complained we had a horse that looked out of shape," he said.

The man says shortly after the mare was put down, one of the horses caught pneumonia. Other animals also fell sick and began losing weight rapidly.

Animal control officers don't buy Ryan Peterson's story. According to court documents, officers who have been watching the property for two months believe 18 horse were made to share, on average, two bails of hay each day.
Some of the horses were eating their own manure, they said.

Mary Peterson is being held on $5,000 bail, which family members planned to post Thursday night. She has not been charged.