80 horses dumped in field

[meleeka]

https://www.horseandhound.co.uk/news/county-show-risk-80-horses-dumped-showground-668250

These horses are still there after 4 weeks. They don’t want to use the Control of Horses Act as they’d have to go to market and “there’s only one place they’d end up which isn’t fair on them”. Where does this person think they’ll end up if the owners come back for them?! Their fate will be the same I’m sure and by leaving them there it’s just encouraging more of this imo. 😡

 

[MotherOfChickens]

I dont think you can blame the ground owner they are being left with a huge bill in repairs and lost revenue. if they sent them off to be shot it would be very bad publicity (wrongly but you know how people are).
I am just surprised that 'horse owners' arent being blamed for this like they normally are-instead of coming out and saying these are travellers' ponies and it needs to be sorted at source.

 

[Merrymoles]

Blimey...Well looking at the types on the picture, I could make an educated guess about where they came from in the first place. I am wondering how the hell they got them all on there without anyone noticing - can't see it happening at our local showground.

I'm not sure they really have any option other than to take possession and put them through the sales. One or two might be lucky and get a nice home but in my opinion there could be worse fates than slaughter for the remained.

 

[be positive]

It will cost a fair amount to get them all microchipped and passported, which they will need to be to go to auction, plus the transport costs which will not be cheap, I suspect that is why they are waiting in the hope that either someone claims them once the grass has run out or a charity offers to take them on which they probably will eventually, the most sensible but harsh option would be to cull most of them and send the best through the sales to recoup the costs, that may make the owner think twice before dumping his others because he probably has more somewhere.

 

[RoR_nut]

There's a pretty heated debate about this on social media right now. Anyone that dares suggest the horses are humanely euthanized are shot down as cruel but the reality is the horse "Market" is saturated with ill bred, unwanted horses and ponies, our rescues are unable to take any more horses in and giving the horses away for a nominal fee doesnt necessarily secure them a pleasant future .

It's unlikely the owner will re surface to claim the horses while there is still grazing left and even if they do.....there's a high chance of them being dumped somewhere else again.

I've said it before and I'll say it again.............there are FAR worse fates for a horse than crossing rainbow bridge.

 

[Crazy_cat_lady]

Looking at the "types" I also wouldn't be surprised where they have come from!

I'm also going to say I agree (tin hat time) with a lot of the comments on the Facebook page saying to humanely dispatch the lot of them. Yes some may prove useful but after a lot of time and effort, also the rescue market is already flooded without adding 80 fairly bog standard looking coloured cobs to it. They are the sort of thing that could potentially be used in a riding school but if I had an rs I'd want something with proven safety, who knows what diseases they are carrying. Maybe it'll send a message to the people dumping them.

I know people can get nice gypsy cobs but these can't be too high quality (not a fan of gypsy cobs personally so maybe I'm biased), maybe at a push they could sort the nicer conformation ones and possibly sell them but again you run the risk of less knowledgeable people purchasing them as they'd probably be cheap.

I see there are already people appalled at the "culling" suggestion on Facebook but can't reply to people asking if they are that upset about it why don't they take one on.

Something definitely needs to be done to stop the problem at the source how are people so easily able to breed 80 common coloured cobs?

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

Not one of those ponies will have a microchip let alone a passport. If the showground put up an abandonment notice, gain ownership then cull people will be in uproar and they may as well close their business down. If they sell at the sales people will be in uproar at the number they go for £30 to the near man. Whether they sell or pts there will be repurcusions from the 'owner's' of these ponies. But those owners will never be found nor will have any prosecution brought against them.

Best case scenario - the ponies disappear as quickly as they came and by the same route. But then some other poor farmer is going to find himself with 80 coloured cobs that weren't there the night before the deal with!

For the ponies sake there are fates worse than death. But i such a fluffy bunny, tree hugging world that quite simply will not be possible.

 

[meleeka]

I can’t believe how naive some people on FB are. All the time there are no restrictions on breeding or responsibilities (microchips) the numbers of coloured cobs are just swelling to an unmanageable level. I’m not sure people actually realise how many foals are born each year. I’m betting most of these are colts since mares are generally used for breeding. If there’s 80 colts there you can be sure there’s 80 mares somewhere producing foals one after another.

 

[FemelleReynard]

The issue is the gypsy camp, where these ponies originate from, sits adjacent to the show ground site. So once these are dealt with, I have no doubt that more will appear. It's a very unfortunate, endless cycle. I know the site very well and understand the problems they do, and will continue, to face.

 

[ester]

Ah that's interesting info FR, to the point that as well as the public outrage if they shot them all, would they also worry about repercussions?

I did wonder is it possible to despatch and dispose without documentation for them?

 

[meleeka]

I’ve just read somewhere else they’ve been moved on. No repercussions for the owners then 🙄

 

[be positive]

Ah that's interesting info FR, to the point that as well as the public outrage if they shot them all, would they also worry about repercussions?

I did wonder is it possible to despatch and dispose without documentation for them?

I have never been asked for a passport when having a horse pts but I am known to the vet and collection person so maybe it makes a difference, I would think if they take ownership of them it would be fine to dispose of them without documents but see it has now been resolved anyway so no need to do any more other than clear up the mess.

 

[Follysmum]

i would not be surprised at all if we see planning for houses next on this site!!
All is not as seems me thinks

 

[meleeka]

I did wonder is it possible to despatch and dispose without documentation for them?

In my experience nobody ever wants to see any documentation. A neighbour had a horse pts. He’d never seen the vet or the knacker man that came and they didn’t ask to see anything. Just as well as the horse didn’t have a passport or microchip. I’ve also never been asked to produce them for anything.