IN-DEPTH: Florida Horse Owners Fear Black Market Slaughterers Who Come in the Night for Highly Prized Meat

Equestrians in the state worry a lack of cooperation between law enforcement agencies is allowing the barbaric crime spree to continue unchecked

Mari Pritchard enjoys a Florida beach with her horse, Frosty. Courtesy of Mari Pritchard

OCALA, Fla.—Mari Pritchard’s voice still trembles as she speaks of the last time she saw her beloved horse, Frosty. She had been terrified by reports on social media of horses being killed in the night in Florida, apparently for meat.

“But it won’t happen here,” she’d reassured herself, after confiding to her mother about her fears.