Last year I was delivering a newly adopted horse to their forever home in PA and decided to stop in at New Holland Horse Auction. I was on the search for a belgian for a client who had always wanted one, it was the best home a horse could get so I figured why not stop in at New Holland and take a look at the old plow horses. Right when I pulled in I could tell it was a packed auction, horses tied every where, more then I had ever seen go through the auction. I browsed the aisles of horses and found a row of about 20 old belgians, all beaten up, worked to the point of exhaustion, all with their heads hanging low. I found a nice big mare that was friendly and could use some TLC, with her number written down on my pad I ventured out to look at the other horses consigned to the sale.
Some weeks at New Holland it seems to be all nice broke western horses but this week seemed to be all skinny, neglected, and scared horses. As the auction started I grabbed a spot set off the rail and watched as horses started running through. Most sold for cheap, under $100, all to kill buyers. A few nice horses went through and sold for nothing over $400. It seemed to be a bad week at New Holland, not a huge attendance and few bidders other then the kill buyers buying for meat.
My big belgian mare ran through and I quickly put in the second bid, after a few back and forths with a kill buyer that big mare was mine. A new home was in her near future, she had hit the jackpot. I went over and saw where they tied her and gave her a quick reassuring pat on the shoulder and went back to the auction.
Back near the auction ring I stood near the wall watching horses run through. I felt a horse blowing through the bars on the other side of the wall. I peaked through at her and saw a small dark bay mare. She stretched has far as she could and I pet her nose. I quickly went around to take a look at her. She had some serious wounds on her legs that needed treatment but was so sweet and curious. She seemed young and was very intersted in me. Of course I had a two horse trailer, and had only bought one horse, so I jotted down her number. She would be a nice prospect for someone, she had a lovely build and a nice head, she deserved a shot.
An hour later the auction started to slow down, there were about 20 horses left. Another bay mare next to the one I had my eyes on was untied and walked towards the ring. Within seconds the little mare that I was waiting on started to panic, she ripped her tie free and ran towards her friend. They had a bond I had not noticed while I was standing near them. They were both in bad shape, obviously came from the same awful owner. This is the point when I realize that I have a two horse trailer and can only purchase one. They ran through the ring and I bid on the little mare. Her friend sold to Brian Moore, a known kill buyer who had just purchased the horse for meat. My heart sank, but a two horse trailer would not stop me. I pulled out my phone and called a local friend and begged for her to board the two mares together until I could come back for them. She agreed and I went down to track down the kill buyer who now owned her. With $100 added onto the price he just paid minutes before she was now mine. I happily went over to tell the mares the news. They would be together for now, I went way out of my budget for the day but heck the two mares seemed please about it!
After a short ride to the farm they would be staying at I unloaded them and watched them slowly walk out onto a field and start to graze together. If you didnt know better you would have thought they had been there forever, both so relaxed and at peace together, the memory of the auction quickly leaving their minds. That day the small bay mare who saved her best friends life was given the name Kiwi. I wondered if she knew what she had done for her friend, and older mare whos life would have ended if not for the heroic actions she displayed that day. We named the older mare Georgina, but she quickly became Gigi.
After a month the mares came back to Long Island and went into a training program. They both were lovely horses, very nice to ride and deal with. I was happy I had found them, or they had found me, I'm still not sure about how it all went down. I guess Kiwi only knows.
After a year and a half of rescuing the belgian and the two TBs they are all in wonderful homes right here on Long Island. The belgian lives happily at a barn as a pet, she gained close to 300 lbs and is treated like a queen. Kiwi was adopted by a lovely women and is a pleasure horse now. I often see pictures of her on facebook and remember that day at the auction when I saw her face looking through the bars at me. Gigi was adopted by a wonderful women and now enjoys going out on trail rides and being a pleasure mount.
Consider making a donation to Project Sage today to help horses like the onces highlighted in this story. You won't regret it!
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