-first published Feb. 26, 2026, on equiery.com
The State’s Attorney for Carroll County has reopened the 2021 animal cruelty case against Misty Manor Riding Stable in Marriottsville.
In 2021, one of Misty Manor’s co-owners, Nichole C. Reinke, was charged with 64 counts of animal cruelty in connection with the mistreatment of 19 horses at Misty Manor Riding Riding Stable. The charging documents alleged that 11 of the 19 horses were intentionally tortured.
On May 4, Reinke pled guilty to a misdemeanor charge of criminal animal cruelty for failing to provide “nutritious food in sufficient quantity, necessary veterinary care, proper drink, air, space, shelter, or protection from the weather” to horses under her care at Misty Manor Farm in Sykesville. Md Code Ann §10-604(a)(5).
The court sentenced Reinke to five years of probation before judgement (PBJ) on 12 additional misdemeanor counts of animal cruelty and one felony count of animal cruelty. The counts for which Misty Manor received PBJs include charges of overdriving or overloading an animal, depriving an animal of necessary sustenance, and inflicting unnecessary pain and suffering.
Since that time, the Court has held five separate probation violation hearings.
On January 5, 2026, Carroll County formally reopened the case and has set a probation violation sentencing date of July 8, 2026.
The docket number is C-06-CR-21-000677.
Read our previous coverage:
Misty Manor Owners Pleads Guilty, The Equiery, July 12, 2022.
Sykesville and Marriottsville Cruelty Case Update, The Equiery, Nov. 5, 2021.