I never thought I would see the things I was about to see. I never thought these things existed other than in tragic stories you read or see on the news. I just didn’t think it was “that bad.” I get worried when my beloved horses don’t get there nightly warm mash with vitamins, minerals, carrots, apples and a generous helping of grain.

One day my boyfriend and I decided to go the fall auction. Maybe we’ll find something in one of the horses that everyone else failed to see and we’ll find that rare diamond in the rough and make thousands by training and showing our secret find. No, no, this was definately not the case. First let me start on the coat condition and I work my way down. So it is now the beginnings of winter and all the horses have a hearty fuzz going on. I had to ask, where are these horses from? The north pole? Seriously, their coats were so thick I was certain for a moment that it was February and the dead of winter. But, I guess I was fortunate to see them in the winter, because I can assure you there is not much meat under those thick winter blankets.

So this is my first reaction walking into the back where all the horses are kept and tagged with numbers. Then I start to notice the real horror of it all. More than 70% of the horses where in such bad physical shape and under nourished that they were bascially walking skeletons. I nearly freaked out when I saw the first one with it’s spine 2” raised above his fleshy parts. Next are the hips. What is going on?? I can’t even explain it. Typically horses will either have a nice round hip or if they are younger a pointier hip. These hips did not resemble anything that I would call a hip. Caved in, sticking out, lumps and bumps… What have all these people done to have this happen? The only explanation my boyfriend and I can think of is that it is because of relentless hours of riding. It brings the term “riding your horse into the ground” into a whole new light.

Next my eye goes to the wounds. Open saddle sores on horses that have no right being ridden in the first place. Never mind sores that I can guarantee were not from just one ride. Sick horses, runny eyes, runny noses, mad horses, kicking horses, biting horses. I just feel sick. I feel that everything I touch is infected.

But wait, it gets worse, way worse. Next thing I know someone is tacking up to ride one of the poor ones with sunken in hips and a 2” raised spine! The poor animal can barely stand in it’s paddock, and now some big man is going to ride this 14.1h pony? Then, next thing I know this man is whipping the horse, the horse is kicking and running backwards, mustering up as much energy as he possibly can trying to get this man off his back. Obviously the horse does not win.

I start to feel like I am in the twilight zone. People and horses are buzzing around me but all I can think is, is this really happening? Even the people are different, and by different I am being nice. Where are these people and these horses coming from? Is this what it is like in jail? I like having happy, nice people and fuzzy warm animals around me. What I find here is the furthest thing from my happy world. Little gremlins, aggressive, starving, with little beatty eyes. These are the times when I stop and look around and are thankful for my health, friends and family, I even start thinking my own chubby hips are a good thing. Yes it was that bad.

There is not much one can do. We go home. We don’t plan to come back. I am sure there are some happy auction stories with happy endings, but for me, the auction is not a place I would consider trying to buy or sell a horse.