Another Tale from New Holland

On January 7^th we loaded into our truck and headed back to New Holland Horse Auction in Pennsylvania.  Our last trip to New Holland was still so fresh on my mind as we pulled into the parking lot.  Today our goal was to rescue four horses from this awful place. 

We ventured inside and as soon as we walked into the first aisle of horses I spotted her.  She was a tall black thoroughbred mare with an old red blanket on her that barely fit.  Her eyes were glazed over and she picked on the hay in front of her with not much interested.  I walked over and stroked her face.  She looked up at me with defeat in her eyes.  Her left front knee was swollen and had some heat in it.  The source seemed to be a cut on the inside of her leg.  Along with that cut she also had cuts on her ear and neck all which seemed fresh.  I fixed her blanket which was hanging off and patted her on the neck.  She looked to be around 10 years old and I knew she was going to be on the top of my list for the day.  I gave her a kiss on the nose and proceeded through the horses. 

There were paints, chestnuts, bays all lined up ready to be auctioned off to the highest bidder.  I noticed that there were not many private buyers in attendance.  Today would be a rough day for these horses.  We found a stocky black and white paint mare that seemed very nervous.  I scratched her neck and gave her a few pats on the neck.  She was very dirty and not well cared for which seemed to norm at New Holland.  We wrote her on our list as a black and white Quarter Horse mare. 

I took my time looking at each horse waiting for one to catch my eye.  Many horses turned around and tried to look at us as we passed.  If those horses could talk they would be screaming “pick me, pick me”.  People always ask me how I go about picking horses.  I don’t have an exact formula to picking the ones that I will rescue.  I go with my gut but usually the horses pick me. 

We wrote down a few more numbers of horses that we liked.  We were finishing up the last row of horses when we spotted a dark bay thoroughbred mare.  When I first approached her I noticed a group of men standing by watching our every move.  I assumed one of them owned her so I kept glancing over to see if he would come over and tell us about her.  Marion flipped her lip and began writing down her tattoo.  Unfortunately it was illegible but we managed to get a few of the letters.  The man walked over and seemed concerned that we were writing down her tattoo.  He explained he “had too many horses and he had to sell a few”.  I could tell by looking at Ray that he was lying.  I smiled and listened to what he had to say but something seemed wrong.  The man walked away and we again began to try to figure out the tattoo.  The man now started screaming and yelling to get away from his horse.  Obviously this horse was not supposed to be at the auction probably due to track laws.  Ray filled me in that the man was a dealer.  I’ve never dealt with so many low life people until I went to New Holland.  This particular man was the lowest of the low.  I have to believe in karma and hope that this man will be punished one of these days.  Later in the day I noticed the mare was gone, she would not run through the auction.  I assume the dealer got nervous and stuck her back in his trailer.

Time was running out until the auction would begin so I walked into the next row of horses.  This row was full of horses with burrs in their manes, cuts on their legs, and defeat in their eyes.  I’ve never seen so many sad looking horses.  There was a line of small draft horses all filthy with harness marks.  One of these horses collapsed right in front of me from complete exhaustion.  He lay on the floor and closed his eyes.  I assume he was praying to die right there so his suffering would end.  I said a silent prayer for this horse who had worked his whole life for an Amish farmer and now was dropped off to be sold at the auction. 

I noticed a tall chestnut mare standing untied near another horse.  She was breathing slowly and was very thin.  She was not even tied to the wall but yet she stood there with her buddy.  Two horses over from her was a black and white paint mare who seemed petrified of everything around her.  She stood their shaking, too nervous to eat, too nervous to look me in the eyes.  In the pen next door to her were five huge Belgians.  They looked old and sad.  Their feet were long and their eyes were dull.  Some of the saddest looking horses I have ever seen.  All of these horses would later sell to slaughter. All under $100 a piece.

I made my last lap around the auction before it began and found a palomino that was friendly and seemed well cared for.  He was a bit thin but seemed happy to be getting some attention.  We jotted down his number and as we walked away he gave a small nicker.  A sign of appreciation for a few scratches on the neck and a last attempt at pulling at my heart strings.

The auction began and the Belgians were first to be auctioned.  They all sold to slaughter for $20 a piece.  The next 20 horses were all nice saddle broke horses and they all sold for under $500.  I looked in the line of horses and saw my big black thoroughbred mare.  I gave Ray to go ahead and he started bidding.  My heart sank as I noticed that Brian Moore was also bidding on my mare.  I closed my eyes as the bidding finished up.  I gave a huge sigh of relieve when I knew she would be coming home with us and not heading to Mexico. 

I brought one of my young volunteers to New Holland this time around.  I had my concerns about bringing such a young person to this awful place but my goal is to make young people aware of what goes on so our horses have a better chance in the future.  I allowed her to pick out a horse and name it.  She pointed out a bay horse to me that was in line to be auctioned off.  He would be walked through the auction and we knew nothing about him.  Again Ray began bidding and the lucky bay horse got a chance at life because of my young volunteer.  A few of my volunteers went over to meet the horse and it was determined that he was a 7 year old off the track thoroughbred named “Three Georges”.  George had some severe cuts on his legs; you could see the dried blood on his legs that was never cleaned.  He also had a large gash on his face along with many other small cuts.

I stood at the side of the ring with Marion and Ray waiting for another horse on our list to be put in line.  I spotted them walking the palomino gelding to the ring and we anxiously waited for him to run through.  I suppose he became the favorite for all of my volunteers because I can remember the nervous faces of three girls that came with me as they ran him through.  Ray started bidding and I got nervous as I saw two or three dealers also bidding on him.  This palomino deserved a real home, not a trip to another auction.  Thanks to Ray we can now give him a chance at finding his very own home. 

Marion told me a truck load of minis was just dropped off and I saw they were jammed into a pen together.  It was a mixture of foals, mares, and studs.  They screamed and fought and were all covered in burrs and mats.  They ran them through in groups and most sold for under a $100.00.  A little white mini was very nervous and one of the workers at the auction tried to pull him from the pen.  The mini reared and flipped over and shuffled to get back on his feet.  No one seemed concerned for the poor little horse.

They brought in a pen full of loose horses and auctioned them off one by one.  They all sold to Brian Moore for slaughter, all under $75.00 a piece.  They didn’t even fight in the ring, they stood with their heads down.  When they stop fighting you know they have given up.  Given up hope, given up on people, given up on love. 

After the pens full of loose horses were auctioned off I noticed a little girl riding around a little dapple grey pony.  He was small but was the quietest pony I have ever seen.  She was jumping him over hay bales, sliding off his rump, and pulling on his tail.  I pointed him out to everyone and we decided we needed to help him.  He was thrown away because his rider had out grown him.  They didn’t bother to try to find him a new home they just dropped him off at the auction.  His owner rode him through and Ray bid on him.  Thankfully he will never have to worry about another owner out growing him.  I approached the little girl after the auction and I asked her what her pony’s name was.  Her response was simple before she walked away from her pony forever…”he ain’t got no name”.  Her parents raised a child that thinks that animals are disposable; you’re looking at a future dealer right there.

The auction was coming to an end and the black and white paint mare was next in line to be auctioned off.  They announced her as a dual registered Spotted Saddle Horse and a Tennessee Walking Horse.  They walked her through the ring and I noticed that the only people still bidding was two dealers and Brian Moore.  Every horse sold at the end of the auction was selling to slaughter.  We were able to rescue this mare and she looked thankful as she walked past me. 

My favorite part about the day is loading our newest rescues onto Ray’s trailer.  One at a time they hop of the trailer ready to start a new life.  The last time they would ever have to see the inside of an auction house and the last time they would ever need to feel unwanted.  I showed my volunteers the pen full of horses that were bought for slaughter.  Tons of horses that were young and sound filled this pen along with some older horses and tons of work horses.  The Martin Luther King Day Rescue is in honor this pen full of horses that will be slaughtered in Canada and Mexico.  The trailer next to ours was a dealer loading all of the horses he had purchased.  They were attempting to load a thin quarter horse when he put his head down to nibble on hay.  A girl, around my age, kicked the horse in the face and then in the stomach.  The horse ran on the trailer probably terrified of people forever.

Again I want to thank all my supporters who made this rescue possible.  It was another incredible day that will stick with me and my volunteers forever.  I want to thank Ray for doing all my bidding and for watching out for us at the auction.  I want to thank Marion for always helping me make the best choices possible and accompanying me for the second time.  I want to thank Cadie, Katie, and Caitlen for being brave and seeing the auction for the first time.  Last but not least I want to thank Kim for quarantining of newest rescue horses.   Again I make a vow to keep rescuing horses from New Holland and I encourage other rescues to take the step and go to this auction.  You will be changing the life of a horse that needs help and you will not be lining the pockets of dealers, you will be buying directly from the source.  If you would like to make a donation to Project Sage Horse Rescue for our next rescue at New Holland please visit projectsagehorserescue.org or send a donation through pay pal to projectsagehorserescue@gmail.com.  Thank you again for everyone’s constant support of our rescue.  We will be back to New Holland in February so think about making a donation now!  You could help change the life of a horse like Luna, George, Remmy, Sophie, and Luther.