Image by Flickr user Dave McLear

Authorities rescued two horses on the brink of death that were tethered in overgrown field behind at house at 2677 Mercury Road, five miles north of Mount Pleasant.

The horses, a mare that was laying on the ground unresponsive and a male horse have been taken into protective custody. Neither horse had access to food or water and were reported to be extremely weak and some 200 pounds underweight.

The sheriff's office has not announced any charges yet as the horses' owner was not present at the scene.

For more coverage of today's discovery, head over to the The Post and Courier.