AMERICUS — Four horses were struck and killed by lightning about 2:30 p.m. Monday in a pasture on State Route 377.

Horses Sadie, Roany, Behr and True were huddle together under a pecan tree when they were struck. “I had basically raised all four of them since they were babies,” explained owner Carol Feltman Tuesday. “They were so friendly and gentle.”

Feltman said neighbors of the pasture called and informed her about what had happened to her horses. She hopes the plight of her beloved horses will strongly remind people that they shouldn’t be outside during a lightning storm.

“Lightning is very serious and dangerous and shouldn’t be taken lightly,” said Feltman. “I hope this is what children as well as adults learn from this tragedy.”

She said Tuesday she didn’t exactly know what happened to the remains of the horses, because she asked her husband to oversee the remains. She believed the bodies were taken to an area landfill because local ordinances didn’t allow the horses to be buried on the property.

Feltman said she wasn’t too sad about the ultimate resting place of horses, because she realizes that the county has laws that everyone must abide by.