Six horses have died at a Florida equestrian center where at least 22 of the animals stabled there were poisoned by tainted feed. Yet two more horses had to be euthanized Friday at the Masterpiece Equestrian Center in Davie. All the horses at the center ate the contaminated feed, and all are expected to eventually die. Their owners can do little except keep vigil over the animals as their health fails. Sophia Gosttschall (left) and her sister Izabella, who recently lost her horse to a batch of tainted feed, talk to one of the remaining horses at the Masterpiece Equestrian Center in Davie, Florida . One of the remaining sick horses, among the total of 22 animals that are expected to die from tainted feed, stands in the sun on December 16 . The equestrian center, where horses began to die in October, has reached a settlement with the company that produced and sold the feed, said Andy Yaffa, the attorney representing the center and the owners of 20 of the horses. The terms of the settlement last week with Lakeland Animal Nutrition are confidential, but Yaffa said Monday that his clients will be able to buy new horses and care for the remaining ailing horses. The afflicted horses range from ponies worth $25,000 to $50,000 to elite competitors worth hundreds of thousands of dollars. 'The remaining horses continue to deteriorate — unfortunately,' Yaffa said. 'We knew they would but did not want to believe it.  We also did not realize it would be so fast.' The feed arrived at the center in September but it was weeks before anyone realized something was wrong with all the horses at Masterpiece. Since the first deaths in October, the horses' owners have tried to keep their animals comfortable, lavishing attention on them with 'spa days' in their stables. All riding lessons were suspended, and the parents of the center's youngest riders struggled to explain how all the horses, not just one or two, were dying and there was nothing anyone could do except give the horses extra treats and grooming. Lakeland Animal Nutrition has said the contamination was limited to the feed at Masterpiece, and no other horses elsewhere were reported sickened because of it. The Lakeland-based company recalled the product, stopped producing equine feeds and acknowledged that feed delivered to Masterpiece contained monensin and lasalocid, anti-bacterial additives safe for livestock such as cattle and some poultry but toxic to horses' muscles. Ava Exelbirt hugs one of the remaining horses at the Masterpiece Equestrian Center on Dec. 16, before a total of six horses had to be euthanized due to tainted feed poisoning . General manager Jonathan Lang said the 95-year-old company was devastated by the losses at Masterpiece. 'Although their beloved animals could never be replaced, it is our hope that this settlement will bring them some peace and allow them to continue pursuing their passion for equestrian care and sport,' Lang said in an email. Necropsies performed on four horses that died at Masterpiece before the settlement last week confirmed monensin poisoning. Happier times: Parents say it was a struggle to explain to some of the center's youngest riders that all the horses, not just one or two, were dying and there was nothing anyone could do except give the horses extra treats and grooming . A couple of young riders pose for pictures earlier in December with horses that did not eat the tainted feed . The remaining horses all showed the same progressive symptoms, including difficulty standing, but no more necropsies will be needed, Yaffa said. 'We know what's causing this,' Yaffa said, adding that Lakeland Animal Nutrition had 'acted honorably throughout the restoration process.' Florida's Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services is investigating. The afflicted horses, not including Daniella Vitale's Sebastian (pictured in December), range from ponies worth $25,000 to $50,000 to elite competitors worth hundreds of thousands of dollars .
Two more horses had to euthanized at the Masterpiece Equestrian Center in Davie, Florida, bringing the death toll to six since October .
All the horses at the center at contaminated feed and are expected to die eventually .
The afflicted animals range from ponies worth $25,000 to $50,000 to elite competitors worth hundreds of thousands of dollars .
Six horses have died at a Florida equestrian center where at least 22 of the animals stabled there were poisoned by tainted feed. Yet two more horses had to be euthanized Friday at the Masterpiece Equestrian Center in Davie. All the horses at the center ate the contaminated feed, and all are expected to eventually die. Their owners can do little except keep vigil over the animals as their health fails. Sophia Gosttschall (left) and her sister Izabella, who recently lost her horse to a batch of tainted feed, talk to one of the remaining horses at the Masterpiece Equestrian Center in Davie, Florida . One of the remaining sick horses, among the total of 22 animals that are expected to die from tainted feed, stands in the sun on December 16 . The equestrian center, where horses began to die in October, has reached a settlement with the company that produced and sold the feed, said Andy Yaffa, the attorney representing the center and the owners of 20 of the horses. The terms of the settlement last week with Lakeland Animal Nutrition are confidential, but Yaffa said Monday that his clients will be able to buy new horses and care for the remaining ailing horses. The afflicted horses range from ponies worth $25,000 to $50,000 to elite competitors worth hundreds of thousands of dollars. 'The remaining horses continue to deteriorate — unfortunately,' Yaffa said. 'We knew they would but did not want to believe it.  We also did not realize it would be so fast.' The feed arrived at the center in September but it was weeks before anyone realized something was wrong with all the horses at Masterpiece. Since the first deaths in October, the horses' owners have tried to keep their animals comfortable, lavishing attention on them with 'spa days' in their stables. All riding lessons were suspended, and the parents of the center's youngest riders struggled to explain how all the horses, not just one or two, were dying and there was nothing anyone could do except give the horses extra treats and grooming. Lakeland Animal Nutrition has said the contamination was limited to the feed at Masterpiece, and no other horses elsewhere were reported sickened because of it. The Lakeland-based company recalled the product, stopped producing equine feeds and acknowledged that feed delivered to Masterpiece contained monensin and lasalocid, anti-bacterial additives safe for livestock such as cattle and some poultry but toxic to horses' muscles. Ava Exelbirt hugs one of the remaining horses at the Masterpiece Equestrian Center on Dec. 16, before a total of six horses had to be euthanized due to tainted feed poisoning . General manager Jonathan Lang said the 95-year-old company was devastated by the losses at Masterpiece. 'Although their beloved animals could never be replaced, it is our hope that this settlement will bring them some peace and allow them to continue pursuing their passion for equestrian care and sport,' Lang said in an email. Necropsies performed on four horses that died at Masterpiece before the settlement last week confirmed monensin poisoning. Happier times: Parents say it was a struggle to explain to some of the center's youngest riders that all the horses, not just one or two, were dying and there was nothing anyone could do except give the horses extra treats and grooming . A couple of young riders pose for pictures earlier in December with horses that did not eat the tainted feed . The remaining horses all showed the same progressive symptoms, including difficulty standing, but no more necropsies will be needed, Yaffa said. 'We know what's causing this,' Yaffa said, adding that Lakeland Animal Nutrition had 'acted honorably throughout the restoration process.' Florida's Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services is investigating. The afflicted horses, not including Daniella Vitale's Sebastian (pictured in December), range from ponies worth $25,000 to $50,000 to elite competitors worth hundreds of thousands of dollars .
horses had to be euthanized Friday at the Masterpiece Equestrian Center in Davie. All the horses at the center ate the contaminated feed, Equestrian Center in Davie, Florida . One of the animals that are expected to die from tainted afflicted horses range from ponies worth $25,000 to $50,000 to elite competitors worth hundreds of thousands of dollars .