LATEST: A small-time horse trainer has been charged with 92 counts of animal cruelty after more than 20 dead horses were found at his Bulla property.

Bruce Akers, 63, has been stood down by Racing Victoria after the ‘abhorrent’ discovery on Sunday.

He faced the Broadmeadows Magistrates Court on Monday and was granted bail on the strict condition he re-appeared on May 11.

The court was told Akers threatened to return to the property and shoot the remaining horses following his arrest.

A neighbour initially raised the alarm at Bulla, in Melbourne’s outer north, around 3.30pm on Sunday afternoon after smelling a strange odour.

That led to the discovery of 22 dead horses.

Another horse had to be put down at the Batey Court property, while authorities are trying to re-home a further 22 horse that are suffering badly from malnutrition.

Racing Victoria said it ‘condemned any behaviour resulting in the mistreatment and neglect’ of a horse.