CALHAN, Colo. -- An El Paso County woman has been charged with animal cruelty after 14 horses in her care were judged to be underfed.

The horses, including several colts, are recovering at a barn several miles away from the property where the animals were found in Calhan, Colo.

On Saturday, someone saw a horse wandering on the outside of the property. When a veterinarian arrived, she said 14 horses appeared to be badly neglected and underfed.

"The mares were so underfed that their teats weren't producing enough food for the colts to actually nurse from. The food they were getting was so minimal that it was only enough for them to sustain their own health, if you will," said Joe Breister of the El Paso Sheriff's Office. "This was the first case in the last years that I can remember where the veterinarian was so concerned that she didn't think one of the horses would make the ride in the trailer from the property to the Calhan auction, which was about a 5- to 10-mile ride."

"They were actually being fed feed that was more for cattle and cows than it is for horses," Breister added.

The owner of the horses, Audrey Hacker, told investigators she had been unable to find quality hay to feed the animals.

"There is a problem with hay, but it's not severe enough that it's causing anybody any great concern," Breister said.

An Aurora man owns about half of the ailing horses.

"He told us that about a month and a half ago he provided her $800 to provide for the feed and hay for his horses. We have yet to find out where that $800 went," Breister said.

Hacker faces one misdemeanor count of animal cruelty. It's possible that more charges could be added at a later time, police said.

She has 10 days to put in a claim to reclaim the animals, but she must prove she will be able to care for the horses properly. If she can't prove that, it is possible the animals will be put up for auction.

This is the third case of animal cruelty involving horses in Colorado within the last month.

A horse owner in Weld County faces animal cruelty charges that involved 23 horses found in poor health.

A Niwot woman faces numerous charges after dozens of horses were found on her 4-acre property, several of which were found in deplorable conditions.