PATASKALA, OH (WCMH) — It’s Fair season, and the Pataskala street fair attracts crowds of 30,000 people. This year, there is one attraction that had to be cut short after members of the community were outraged.

Photos and videos posted to social media showed ponies with signs of possible neglect. The Licking County Humane Society was called in to investigate and the ride was shut down.

The Mayor of Pataskala tells NBC4’s Elyse Chengery he did see the ponies and based on the condition they were in, he thinks the Humane Society made the right decision by canceling the pony rides at the fair.

“They were well fed well watered they just had some visible marks on them that needed some explanation. He was shut down police shut the ride down,” said Mayor Mike Compton.

Fair-goers like Melissa Rollins were looking forward to the ponies saying.

“We were excited for them she was excited for them and we just realized they weren’t here,” said Rollins.

When the Pataskala street fair began Wednesday, some visitors expressed concern over one of the popular attractions for kids – the pony rides.

The Licking County Humane Society was contacted after pictures surfaced of the horses with cuts and scars.

Some patrons felt the animals were being abused. The attraction was shut down so the humane society could investigate.

Only on NBC4, the owner of the horses, Kash McDonaod, spoke out for his family owned company, C&C Attractions

“Two ponies had an altercation and one of the ponies ran into a corral fence and cut his head pretty good about a month before the fair started, said McDonaod. “We looked him over he has some cuts and minor bite marks on him from getting into another fight with another pony. We take pride in our ponies we love them this is what we do so we called a veterinarian clinic we had them look over the ponies.”

McDonaod has paperwork signed by the vet saying the animals are ok.

“Ponies do this. It’s what they do. They fight the newer ponies fight with older ponies I’m sorry it happened I wish it wouldn’t of”, says McDonaod.

McDonaod states his company has been giving pony rides at this fair for the last 25 years.

“I’m the second generation bringing these ponies here and now because I’m closed down these local people that love these ponies cannot come out and ride the ponies, it’s really a sad situation,” said McDonaod.

The owner adds all eight of the ponies were cleared by the vet and will be leaving Saturday for pony rides at a fair in Pennsylvania.