60 cattle horses about to get washed away!

[Moomin1]

Someone want to come on a rescue mission to my place? I've plenty of poo that needs picking to prevent the water becoming dirty

Fun fun fun!

Wish I had the guts to do that these days on my girl - she's too clumsy compared to my old boy who I used to swim with!

Enjoy!

 

[Natch]

What a sorry situation all around, but quite why and who caused it to be so sorry is as yet unclear to me.

I thought the horses were unhandled, so why were there two being ridden and four(?) being led in the river? I don't understand why the river was deemed to be the best route to take the horses, surely across land, even if flooded would have been preferable

If the owner would not accept any help, how did those volunteers go up to these unhandled horses to dry them off?

Whoever it was that was there, if the horses were badly injured and hadn't eaten for days, I hope someone had the sense(?!) to follow one of the horsebox's journeys to find out where it took the horses to, because otherwise it looks and sounds like a bad case of NIMBY.

I am alao curious as to the reasons why 'authorities' (who, exactly?) were reluctant to act, and I can hazard a guess as to why rspca weren't too chuffed with the group of 'volunteers'.

If the reports on here are true, I am just as worried about the horses' futures as I was their last few days, possibly more so. A horse who hasn't eaten for days being moved on a long journey, after a mile swim, to potentially lush pasture is a lethal colic or laminitis case waiting to happen. A pregnant mare put through that could well increase the chances of loss of both mare and foal's lives.

 

[AprilBlossom]

NB, that's not me in the photo - it's a teen who borrowed G for a dip with his yard mates and their owners - if we keep this level of flood up and I can find some 'brave the cold' pants I'll prob take him over myself this weekend!

Hydrotherapy is good for horses - it's even better when it's free!! After all, he is a veteran...

 

[marmalade76]

The 6 horses in the video footage certainly don't have the look of malnourished horses, they all have adequately full flanks and topline. Horses can swim, and a few bales of hay are not going to make a jot of difference to 60 beasts (other than cause a fight!). I suggest you go and turn your efforts to something more worthwhile like the 'worldwide preservation of idiots'............

See, it started off with a post with the headline '60 horse stranded without food, shelter or water' (or something along those lines) with an album showing a few horses standing round an open barn surrounded by water - kinda contradicts the headline. None of the horses looked poor, yes, they were standing in mud but I suspect a lot of horses are ATM (mine are if they choose to stand in certain parts of their current eight acres of grazing). I also doubt that there were anywhere near 60 horses there. Some posted that they'd seen hay there, which contradicted the no food claim. Then, when there was not enough outrage at this, reports of hopping lame (my own horse was hopping lame last week, are a big group of local horse lovers going to turn up and harrass me and offer him a home??) and injured horses followed along with outrage at the lack of action from the RSPCA. Now, I'm no fan of the RSPCA, particularly after their recent antics, but these horses could not be classed as suffering, so I can see why they didn't get involved (not even sure if they are involved now). I have a suspision that stories of lost eyes and dead horses are simply an attempt to justify all of this.

The owner is moving them now, and an attempt was made on FB to criticise even this. I think he thought he'd better move them quick before they ended up in various livery yards all over the county! But how easy could it be to find grazing for a number of horse this time of year in such a wet winter? Not that easy, I'm willing to bet.

As for the risks of water levels rising, it has not rained here much the past few days, a few showers and light rain, that's all. Water levels haven't really gone down, but they haven't gone up either. Most of the rain forecast was actually down stream of here, so would have not affected where these horse were.

Oh, and I doubt they were swam throught the river itself, this is the Severn, they would have been carried away.

 

[Landcruiser]

They aren't unhandled. They are (as I said before) a mixture of imported cattle horses (working South American horses) and a few home breds. Some of them might be tricky to catch and suspicious, but none will be unhandled, and most will be good riding horses.

I posted the video of the horses swimming to safety because I found a link to it and was fascinated to see just how precarious the situation was, and what a tricky rescue it was. I though others would want to see it too, I wasn't making any point, just trying to bring in more info to a still confusing story.

I'm afraid I don't understand the nastiness of some of the people on this thread..

 

[Natch]

Landcruiser with so much conflicting information going around, some are bound to be suspicious, especially those who like me are nowhere near and so only have amateur (as opposed to professional from, e.g. BHS) reports to go on, some of which contradict one another. It only takes one person to be offended that their version isn't believed to light the blue touch paper and whoosh, a thread can get nasty.

 

[Spring Feather]

I watched the video you posted with interest Landcruiser. Thank you for posting.

 

[Moomin1]

Landcruiser with so much conflicting information going around, some are bound to be suspicious, especially those who like me are nowhere near and so only have amateur (as opposed to professional from, e.g. BHS) reports to go on, some of which contradict one another. It only takes one person to be offended that their version isn't believed to light the blue touch paper and whoosh, a thread can get nasty.

Exactly.

There are people who know exactly what went on from a professional form.

I wouldn't believe any hype.

 

[Baggybreeches]

They aren't unhandled. They are (as I said before) a mixture of imported cattle horses (working South American horses) and a few home breds.

At the risk of sounding thick, who would bother importing low value horses from South America, when you can pick up horses for £50 in any auction any day of the week in the UK

 

[AprilBlossom]

I must be fair and say that last night and today the rain and wind is horrendous, and I wouldn't be surprised if the barns those horses in are now quite damp!

However, the owner clearly looked to have the matter in hand, removing horses calmly and quite impressively (I know I couldn't lead two and ride one in dry conditions, let alone waist high water!). Someone stood on a bridge blithering about the 'poor horses' whilst taking a video is not helping, it's watching.

If I had decided to help (if say, weather was like today) I'd have gone 'oh, hi horse/land owner/whoever you are, would you like some help with removing those horses? What would you like me to do?' And got on with it. Not blared about on the Internet to all and sundry, creating an embarrassing hype for the poor guy, and threatening to 'rescue' the horses (I believe it's more commonly referred to as theft).

The worst part about the offers of 'rescue' is that I saw an individual who only days before was posting about having no money to do anything with her horses as in desperate need f a sharer to finance them etc, offering to take one or two on!!! Vultures...

 

[Hairy Old Cob]

Having worked on the River Severn I have been trying to bite my Tongue "Swimming Horses 1 mile Down the River"
The River Severn is probably the most Evil River in England the tidal reaches have a12 meter tidal range which is why it holds back so much flood water.

To enter the river would almost certainly end in tragedy for horse and rider.
At present you are not allowed to navigate the Severn with a Boat and that includes commercial operators such as the Co I work for.

The pictures of the horses swimming well they were on their feet and by the colour of the water they were in a flooded back water with no flow in clean water.The River Severn is running Chocolate Brown. You never turn your back on a River especialy the Severn.

In an Interview the female owner of the Horses stated they had only been their 4 weeks and didnt realise the place flooded "Yeah Right" FLOOD PLANE No one could be that niaeve why the Causeway over the land? The Farm is Called Severnside which is stretching the point for my knowledge the place has been little more than a semi derelect Low lieing dump for the last 16 years. If though that is the fact that they were that niaeve, the owner should also be culpable for not making the new tennants aware of the flooding implications and the associated dangers to live stock, which has resulted in this Debacle where the Horses are Suffering.

People who have read my posts in the Past will be in no doubt about my feelings for the RSPCA a pseudo political organisation that should have its Royal Patronage withdrawn. And I have my doubts about the Horses origins.

 

[Landcruiser]

The horses are indeed from South America, Old Hairy Cob. Until recently, a large consignment of criollos would be shipped to Italy every spring, then either used for meat over there or distributed as riding horses in Europe by a few criollo dealers. They were bulk shipped and transported, keeping transport costs low. This trade from SA has now stopped, as I understand it.

These horses are low value in Argentina, as they have a huge number of good quality horses over there, and controlled breeding programmes to ensure the criollo type remains true. I assume it's the ones that don't quite make the mark that made up the bulk of the transports. However, in Europe they are high value as riding horses as they are so versatile and clever. As I said at the beginning, I have two of them myself, both from Uraguy on a transport 6 years ago. I paid a kings ransom for them, but they really are fabulous, fun, easy keeping, characterful horses. Both mine were at one time part of this particular herd, which was indeed located in a different place until recently.

 

[indie999]

Havent read the lot but flood warnings and rain have been in place for hell of a long time and the owner if they know cannot have mis understood as they basically dont care if they all drown. Life is cheap.
They should have been moved and probably reading the local knowledge of the Severn shouldnt be there in the first place. Perhaps in future a ban on keeping them in this area then the emergency services and anyone else that criticises animal welfare charities(I mean who the hell is expected to go and tackle a flooded river and risk drowning themselves)wont need to be called out. The owner should be banned for life from keeping or working with horses/any animal. As they dont care (& fined). The owner is a costly liability.
Prayer for a dry spell.

 

[Kokopelli]

Blooming heck.

I now apologise for posting this thread, had no idea it would turn into this. Just so people know I'm not involved with all the krap going on at GHR just someone caught in the middle. But seriously hearing some of the suggestions on ghr made some good reading.

 

[peek-a-boo]

Waves smugly at the disbelieving Muppets!

 

[ISHmad]

Have just seen a photo of a dead foal and read that that were others partially buried under the mud. No way of verifying if from this group of horses or not as I don't live there, but from the comments it would appear so.

Hope whoever owns them and allowed that to happen is prosecuted and given a lifetime ban from keeping horses. Well any animal actually.

 

[peek-a-boo]

Have just seen a photo of a dead foal and read that that were others partially buried under the mud. No way of verifying if from this group of horses or not as I don't live there, but from the comments it would appear so.

Hope whoever owns them and allowed that to happen is prosecuted and given a lifetime ban from keeping horses. Well any animal actually.

There are lots of photos its sickening to see and how this has been covered up!
Oh well maybe the gobs of know will shut up when it comes on the news and they have there proof!

 

[indie999]

Have just seen a photo of a dead foal and read that that were others partially buried under the mud. No way of verifying if from this group of horses or not as I don't live there, but from the comments it would appear so.

Hope whoever owns them and allowed that to happen is prosecuted and given a lifetime ban from keeping horses. Well any animal actually.

Yep as has been said this is the Severn and flood plain and no doubt this is not the first time this has happened. Forget the sob story no money, finances etc too little too late. Sickening. Prosecute thats the only way and lifetime ban on all animals but some lawyer will no doubt help with legal aid and the sob story to help them off. Sickening and it will continue. Publicity as to suffering is the only way to get the public to get behind and end this kind of misery grazing.

 

[Toast]

Hey peek-a-boo, dont PETA have a forum? you'd be far more welcome there im sure

 

[indie999]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-gloucestershire-20507477

There is mention on BBC about the horses and I remember about the dead horse and trap earlier in year etc But definitely is mentioned ?

http://www.thisisgloucestershire.co...roads-closed/story-17699563-detail/story.html

And here............troll? Dont think so?If you click on the second link the pics and location of the horses are mentione. Stupid owners. Its not like the rain happened in one night. Risky and stupid, not brave. Irresponsible to let it get to this.

 

[indie999]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-gloucestershire-20539048

Are all these horses the same bunch that are in the news at the moment. What a waste of resources if the owners are not taken to task over this? More rain is forecast for next 10 days.

 

[ribbons]

Gobs of know !!!!!!!

What a thoroughly unpleasant turn of phrase peek-a-boo.

Not likely to convince anyone here you are a decent person, whether you are or not.

 

[Hairy Old Cob]

Indie 999 your last 3 links all apply to the Flood at the end of November do you have any Knowledge of what is happening at the present Time?

 

[Shadow the Reindeer]

Have seen the actual photo's... awful horrific scenes, i'd almost go to say this actually compares to Spindle farm (dead foal carcasses hidden under tree branches and taupulin (sp?) )

 

[annaellie]

They have been appealing for rugs, hay, straw etc. a vet has been out this evening and everyone is working really hard to secure the best outcome for these horses.
There is a few injuries and a few not made it. I got the information from the Facebook group am quite local to the area so as far as I know that's the way things stand at the moment

 

[chanellie]

Volunteers have been at the site all day with the remaining horses, dead foals have been found in the barn, the police have escorted a vet to site to check the remaining horses and compile a report. Severn Water have provided drinking water.

Many people are pulling together to offer help etc in the way of rugs and hay also offering places of safety for remaining horses. They are meeting again tomorrow to help etc.

Of course the owner might go back in the night and remove them.

 

[Shadow the Reindeer]

I take it back - it does appear to be in the same league as Spindle farm

 

[Landcruiser]

Where are the photos? Because if you are sure about this, I'm appalled by it. Yesterday was bad enough

 

[Shadow the Reindeer]

Where are the photos? Because if you are sure about this, I'm appalled by it. Yesterday was bad enough

On facebook, there is a group.... the pictures are there

 

[Spring Feather]

If what you say Shadeyoak is factual then these people should be up on charges and banned from ever keeping animals at the very least! How did the RSPCA inspectors miss seeing the dead foals when they were there??