A horseback riding company that was kicked out of Golden Gate Park in May is under investigation by Santa Clara County officials for animal neglect following the death this month of a horse at a ranch in Milpitas.
The Chaparral Corporation, whose permit with San Francisco’s parks was revoked after a Standard investigation uncovered years of allegations of animal and employee neglect and mistreatment, could face criminal charges by the Santa Clara County district attorney. The company is owned by Shawn Mott and Susan Pennell.
The dun horse that died July 12 on Chaparral’s property was named Honey. She was described as “incredibly sweet” and “very affectionate” by a person who met her. She appeared sickly, emaciated and dehydrated in her final hours, when temperatures in Milpitas were in the 90s, according to photos obtained by The Standard and people familiar with the incident. A necropsy was performed but isn’t being shared with the public as it is part of an active investigation, according to county officials.
But the death appears to have been preventable, according to emails and documents obtained by The Standard.
Santa Clara County officials were warned about Honey’s health in the months before her death. They were also aware of the substandard conditions at Chaparral’s remote Milpitas ranch, located on Weller Road about 15 miles north of San Jose.
In March, an investigator responded to a complaint about Honey and found her with a “lack of muscling and fat on her neck.” The official noted that the horse was “thin but not emaciated” and that her coat was dry, with lice on her skin and in clumps of fur rubbed off on a fence.
The report notes that Honey was at Chaparral’s Los Gatos ranch at the time; it’s not clear when she was transferred to Milpitas.
A follow-up report by the investigator on April 4 said Dr. Mario Tellez of Tri-County Veterinary Hospital in Gilroy reported Honey’s condition improved after dietary changes related to a food allergy. Tellez did not respond to a request for comment.
Rebecca Misa, a concerned resident, warned county officials in March about Honey’s “appalling” condition.
“It is just completely heartbreaking,” she said. “You could see her ribs. Her bones. She had lice all over her. She had sores all over her. Her feet weren’t taken care of. She was just so neglected. I just couldn’t believe it. I knew that she needed someone to help her. Someone needed to stand up for her.”
Misa shared with The Standard emails she sent to Stephanie Riley, a Santa Clara County Animal Services Center manager. Misa says she became concerned with the county’s response after Riley described Honey in a March 22 email as having “healthy muscling along her topline, hindquarters and neck.”
“To be direct … this horse Honey is in NO WAY ‘HEALTHY,’ ” Misa replied to Riley. “Honey can’t help herself. She needs people to stand up for her. She doesn’t deserve this.”
The county’s animal investigators had evidence that Chaparral’s horses were not prepared for the South Bay’s blazing summer heat. Weather reports from the beginning of July show temperatures as high as 101 degrees.
During a visit to the Milpitas site in May, an investigator noted that Chaparral was not properly housing its animals.
“There did not appear to be any shelter or shade for the horses to access during extreme weather conditions,” a report dated May 24 states.
The district attorney deferred a request for comment to a county spokesperson.
“County of Santa Clara Animal Services takes animal neglect or cruelty very seriously and responds promptly and thoroughly to complaints of animal mistreatment,” according to a statement from the animal control department.
Officials have visited Chaparral’s two county properties four times since March in response to concerns about the company’s horses. During the July 12 visit, when Honey died, animal control employees cited Chaparral for criminal animal neglect.
Requests for comment sent to Chaparral’s owners went unanswered.
Matthew Liebman, a 20-year veteran of animal rights law, thinks prosecutors have a “very strong case” in charging Chaparral with a crime.
“Whether or not there are alternative explanations, I don’t know, but it does seem to me that this is a failure to provide adequate protection from the weather, which is required by California law,” said Liebman, who leads the Justice for Animals program at the University of San Francisco School of Law.
The Mercury News first reported the news about the investigation into Chaparral.
It isn’t the first time local officials have looked the other way after being warned about conditions at Chaparral.
For years, employees and concerned members of the public raised concerns about the company with officials in San Francisco, to no avail. In one instance, employees drafted a 41-page whistleblower complaint and sent it to city officials. The complaint addressed Chaparral’s Golden Gate Park site and specifically mentioned a lack of shelter, equipment, hoof care and healthcare.
The Standard obtained photo and video evidence of horses seemingly in distress. A horse named Beamer collapsed in the middle of a June 2021 camp session. He was later euthanized. Staff members say Chaparral’s owners ignored repeated requests to help the horse.
Chaparral has also been subject to lawsuits, including an ongoing case of gross negligence involving a woman who suffered a broken back and pelvis while riding one of the company’s horses.
Chaparral was kicked out of Golden Gate Park and Camp Mather, a summer retreat near Yosemite, in response to the Standard’s reporting in May. The city claims it was not aware of the complete picture of allegations and lawsuits involving Chaparral.