Investigators attended the monthly horse auction at Mel Hoover’s stable in New Holland. The sale was very busy with more than 500 horses waiting to be sold. There was not enough space to accommodate all the horses and many of them were tied up in the alleyways which created a treacherous environment for the auction visitors as several of the animals were very nervous and flighty. The vast majority of the horses were Standardbreds, mainly used as Amish buggy horses. Those horses’ heads were restrained with two lead ropes tied to the rafters above, making it impossible for the animals to move or to get anything to drink. Several horses were shaking their heads constantly or chewing on the ropes in an attempt to free themselves.
Outside, a large group of spectators watched as the horses were “tested” on the circular track located next to the barn. The handling observed was very rough at times. One of the buggy drivers was observed hitting a horse in the face with his fist with full force, another one was seen pulling violently on the horse’s halter. The sale started on time at 10:00am. Kill buyers Bruce Rotz and Cedar Ridge Farm were in attendance, buying the cheaper horses like those with leg issues or those that were declared not sound.
Animals’ Angels will continue to monitor this sale since it has become one of Pennsylvania’s largest horse auctions.