Baker began loading horses purchased at the Winter Livestock Auction at 1500 MDT. Horses were loaded onto the upper level first, then the lower level. While loading the lower level, the noise on the upper level was very loud and chaotic. After loading the drivers walked around the trailer poking sticks through the holes to move horses. Investigators observed that loading was very aggressive, drivers hit the horses in the face with full force to move them into the trailer.
40 horses were crowded into the trailer, leaving the horses with no room to move. En route, drivers never checked on the horsed during the 9 hour transport. Investigators filmed horses when the drivers stopped at a restaurant. The taller horses were unable to stand normally due to the low ceiling height and were forced to hold their heads low.
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