Abandoned/poorly horses on BBC breakfast

[ROG]

Article this morning on the poor state of some horses around the UK on BBC breakfast

Not sure if it will be on NEWS 24 or on the Iplayer later

Been on once this morning and will be repeated later in this mornings programme

 

[ROG]

0745 was about 5 mins on this subject

 

[JillA]

I saw it and heard the lady stressing that governments need to beef up the microchipping. So the rest of us have to pay for the failure to put in place proper sanctions and controls on over breeding then................? What is the BHS position on this, does anyone know?

 

[eahotson]

On the BHS website there is a statement stronly suporting Princess Anne! Their last magazine had a huge article and front page on the coming crisis.Its calling for an initial cull.They said that they never thought the day would come when they, of all people, would call for a cull.

 

[ribbons]

I was talking to someone this morning (non horsey) who had been condemning princess Anne a few days ago. Today she wonders if she had a point, after seeing the cruelty of abandonment.
Maybe a tiny improvement by the media after their ridiculous coverage after the princess's comments. Showing a silly old man calling her a canibal.

 

[JillA]

Local radio have just phoned asking me for thoughts on what has gone wrong, and might want to chat on air tomorrow. So come on, lets have your thoughts on the way forward for all these poor animals - we discussed the cost of PTS, the over supply and lack of licensed slaughter facilities.

 

[Adopter]

There are pictures on Redwings Facebook and web site with download of the BBC news item.

Also on same page a link for those who want to to email their MP about actions needed to help with equinw crisis this winter. The equine charities are asking us to all contact our MP's.

 

[crabbymare]

For radio it needs to be very concise so for me starting from the beginning of their life its not cost effective to geld colts that will only sell for a few pounds so more substandard stallions left in with and getting more mares in foal. no market at the lower end so horses/foals dumped/starved. not enough licenced slaughter facilities that can process the meat and give the poor unwanted ones a quick dignified end and too many lame or physically unsound and mentally unsuitable for riding horses chucked out and often bred from by owners who dont care (not taking about the ones kept by the sort of people on here) rather than pts due to cost of pts, and as above no licensed facilities to give a few £ and a dignified end. sadly I would rather see a lot more of these poor horses slaughtered quickly and with a bit of respect rather than being left in fields or on scrub ground without enough feed in the freezing and wet weather thats approaching. passports not inspected for fly grazed horses and passports issued at markets with no way of checking to see if there is already one in place. when I look out in my fields I think how lucky the oldest of the lot here are to have dignified ends at home planned for when its their time to go.

 

[fatpiggy]

I was talking to someone this morning (non horsey) who had been condemning princess Anne a few days ago. Today she wonders if she had a point, after seeing the cruelty of abandonment.
Maybe a tiny improvement by the media after their ridiculous coverage after the princess's comments. Showing a silly old man calling her a canibal.

The Princess Ann "outrage" is a fine example of Chinese Whispers and people reading something out of context and totally believing it because it was in the paper, so it must be true. If you bother to watch the footage, she NEVER said that horses should be slaughtered for meat more routinely (it goes on anyway, the market being posh London restaurants). She said that MAYBE it was time to have a DEBATE on the subject, not least to help prevent neglect issues with some horses being worth pennies currently, and that she threw the topic open to the people in the audience to organise the debate properly.

 

[eahotson]

In a perfect world any colt not deemed to be stallion material would be compulsarily castrated and owners of mares would think carefully before putting a mare into foal and be prepared to do the responsible thing if the foal turned out not fit for any useful purpose (other than meat).Its hard to think how any legislation could be enforced though.
In the short term a cull and any animals found neglected to be handed over to the nearest responsible charity to do with as they thought fit.This may mean slaughter of course.At least a portion of the bill should be exacted from the 'Owners' if,of course, they can be found.
More good local abbatoirs where people can send horses for commercial reasons or if they can't afford the current slaughter costs.The pet food/zoos will take a lot hopefully and there may be some market for horse meat to be eaten either in Britain or exported on the hook abroad.

 

[Tiddlypom]

In the short term a cull is necessary of the abandoned/ starving low end equines. This from someone who fostered a young piebald gypsy cob pony from the RSPCA and adored her.

Long term, compulsory registration and robust powers to seize and destroy unregistered horses.

 

[windand rain]

What a sensible lot most horse owners are sadly it is the bunny hugging general public that are at fault here. If there were more facilities for a cheap and diginified end for the majority they could quietly be dispatched with no fuss. Sadly the fuss made about the red lion abattoir and the hoo ha about the hill ponies going for zoo meat has meant the whole thing has got to a mass killing of horses in some peoples mind. Sorry to offend those bunny huggers but Zoo meat is the very best potion for many a pony old or young and if it makes those struggling to cope and unable to pay for private PTS able to do it quickly and quietly then it can only be for the good. With a bit of luck there will at some stage be a free option for those that cannot afford it to have even their best friend dispatched with dignity at no cost to the struggling owner. As to who pays up the fines for those neglecting their animals and use that if needs be with a heafty fine per horse that is suffering to cover costs of pts for the masses so those in breach of the law are the ones paying instead of the law abiding people who really cannot cope anymore. I have £1000 available and once it get below a certain level I will use the money to pts the ones that are old or dangerous but as long as I can provide them with all their needs on a shoestring I wont use it for anything else

 

[doriangrey]

How much does to have a colt castrated in the UK? Last time I had one done, admittedly it was about 6 years ago, but from memory it was about 60 euro, done standing up and then turned out when the sedative wore off. Come to think of it, how much does in cost in Ireland now?

 

[Penny Less]

In the DM ! today says 100 horses have been put down by vets in South Wales

 

[Cortez]

How much does to have a colt castrated in the UK? Last time I had one done, admittedly it was about 6 years ago, but from memory it was about 60 euro, done standing up and then turned out when the sedative wore off. Come to think of it, how much does in cost in Ireland now?

Last one I had done was €80. Can't believe what you lot pay for things over there!

 

[Adopter]

If you read the report through Redwings site it does say some 100 were in such bad state the rewas no option but pts, so In this instance DM seems to be right.

Must have been a very distressing task and rescue for all involved.

 

[doriangrey]

Last one I had done was €80. Can't believe what you lot pay for things over there!

I'm sure I saw someone on HHO quoting 500 quid - for a castration!!