NATCHEZ — A justice court judge ruled Thursday that a Natchez couple accused of abusing horses and could keep ownership of them.

The Natchez-Adams County Humane Society sought to take custody of four horses and four goats in a hearing Wednesday.

Judge Charlie Vess postponed a decision until he could see the animals himself Thursday morning.

The couple had an arrangement with landowner William Seyfarth to keep their horses with his, and they would each feed their own animals.

Two horses in particular were dehydrated, malnourished and in pretty poor health, a humane society veterinarian testified Wednesday. One horse, a 2-year-old filly could not stand on her own.

The couple’s veterinarian testified Wednesday that he never saw the animals in poor condition until he saw recent pictures of them.

Vess said he didn’t see a pattern of abuse from defendants Gene and Vicky Ridgaway.

“I think this was a case where you couldn’t put the absolute blame on the horse owners or the man who had them on his land,” Vess said after his decision. “Someone dropped the ball.

“I have awarded ownership to the humane society before and I would do so again. In this case, I felt the owners could reclaim their animals. I don’t think they purposely tried to abuse and neglect their animals.”

The humane society has appealed the case to county court, Vess said.

Humane society representative Don Winters said he was very disappointed with the decision.

“I can’t believe it,” Winters said Thursday. “I did not consider that would happen with the conditions of those horses.”

The Ridgaways could not be contacted Thursday.