I usually shoot pampered, well loved, show horses. Today, I went with a friend to the local horse dealers place. This is a last stop. They are the unwanted, old, lame, mean, or just couldn't keep horses. They are bought by the pound. If no person comes and buys them, they are sold by the pound too.

Those are beautifully tragic and thought evoking pictures. I was always saddened when going to the meat auctions, it was always so sad to these down trodden horses and wonder "a la Black Beauty" what their life had been like prior to being tossed away.

Gorgeous yet sad shots Julie. You have treated them with respect and that comes through.

Fairly gut-wrenching - I've bought to rescue from killer yards but could not shoot there for the sake of it. I know this is a dealer-yard (one step up?) but the cheap horse-killer steel spike fencing says it all. Did your friend find anything there Julie - we re-homed a few, but as with rescue dogs there is usually some ill-treatment fear and trauma to work through.

She bought three. She has sold the silver dapple pony to a family looking for their first horse. The child was able to ride this dead broke pony fine.

The mare being bitten above(black with star) she also bought. She looks to be partly friesan(if not, she has that look) and is going to go to a dressage trainer for a few months then sold as a dressage horse. She said she is very sweet

She also picke up a jack, who is going to be a lawnmower at her home or sold to a new home.

Many do get new homes. Many do not.

Hey Julie,

Very nice documentary shots. They really are quite sad. The shots I like best are the 3rd and 5th - both very well composed. How close were you to the guys?

James

I was in the field with them. One kept putting her head on my shoulder as I was shooting the others. I would stop, scratch her head for a minute and go back to shooting.

So, I would say I was 25-75 feet from most of the horses.