Is this cruelty?

[Rupert Pupkin]

As others have stated, I don't think we have enough information to really have an informed opinion. But if I had to guess just based on the information we have, I doubt this guy would have been prosecuted and/or convicted if he had a legitimate defense.

If this guy did the minimum that any caring person would have done, I don't think there would have been any case against him. The minimum, in my opinion, would have been to have a vet check the horse regularly. I can guarantee that if this guy had a vet checking this horse regularly, the state would have had no case. If he would have been consulting with a vet regularly, there is no way that any jury would have convicted him because if a guy is constantly having a vet look at the horse, this would show that the guy cared and was trying to do the right thing.

As I stated before, I don't have all the facts so I could be totally wrong.