Bloomin Townies & The RSPCA!

Nope - tis true. Also, if an abcess is being dug out, its fine while the foot expresses pus, but if there is any blood involved it becomes an act of surgery, which legally farriers are not allowed to do.

Load of old cobblers IMO, but there we go- thats the law for you!!



Well you learn something new every day! I knew you had to get vet permission for back people etc to treat the horse but didn't know that about the feet. I have always got the farrier if it was to do with the feet as they are the experts after all
 
Nope -100% true. Most vets turn a blind eye as farriers probably know far more than they do - but a body like the RSPCA/SSPCA, if they are truely inspecting a horse should be insisting on a vet report for a lame horse - which makes me think that this is not a legitimate inspector
Neither they, nor any-one else have the right to insist on a vet's report. Tell them to mind their own business. Then if they really want a vet's report, they can pay for a vet after they've got a police officer with a warrant to come out to the horses - except that they will have no justification for asking for a warrant.
As someone else said this is harassment, report them to the police.
 
What a joke! Unfortunately and rather strangely, a lot of non horsey folk do not understand the concept of horses living out as they are used to the idea of stabling from films and such... Maybe they just don't understand or maybe you have riled someone in some way, either way the inspector clearly didn't have a clue and should be reported and trained!
 
Neither they, nor any-one else have the right to insist on a vet's report. Tell them to mind their own business. Then if they really want a vet's report, they can pay for a vet after they've got a police officer with a warrant to come out to the horses - except that they will have no justification for asking for a warrant.
As someone else said this is harassment, report them to the police.

OP They can't do anything to your horse without police imput remember that if things go seriously wrong.
A recent call out from your vet to see the horses are ok will insulate if this all goes very wrong , I agree this all sounds all very over the top to me I know you should not have to go to this expense but all this worrys me .
If you have a good relationship with your vet I would be tempted to go into the surgery and tell him or her the story, I have seen people's own vet defend their cilents very stoutly against this sort of thing.
By the way I agree with the other posters that strictly farriers ought not to dig out abscesses but it's commonly done .
 
Feel your pain, RSPCA came to us in the summer as 'horses were covered in sores' what they actually found was 3 ponies with a little butter cupburn on heels and a scab on a chin.

Their exact words were... My god any fool can see these are well loved horses in a natural environment and not from a calendar! These people need to accompany me to see real neglect.

Next was the RSPCA inspector called for horse bleeding profusely from neck wound. What we found... Finn having had his booster, had a little trickle of blood on his neck and as he's white it stood out!

Numpties!!!!!!!
 
This sounds insane! And when there really is a case of neglect they take their sweet ass time and don't do anything!
Hope they leave you alone x
 
Can't be doing with the RSPCA!!! Although the volunteer cat ladies round here actually do a great job, but the institution as a whole does my nut in!

OP - I would be straight round your vets and tell them the story! See what they advise - yes you may end up having to pay for a call out and check up, but it would be worth it IMO to stop this harassment!
 
I heard that someone complained to the RSPCA about neighbours horses: They wore the same 'clothes' all the time and they were dirty.
In real terms... Horse had the same turnout rugs put on every day, and of course they do get a bit 'dirty' when they roll. :D
 
It's beginning to make me want to jack the whole lot in and go and live an animal free life in the city! And I HATE cities!

I have sent a complaint email to the SSPCA pointing out their officers inadequacies and requesting that in the future officers ring me rather than rock up at my work - it could well cost me my job and that really would not be funny!
 
What's actually concerning is that an animal welfare officer is so clueless. If they don't have the training, its more than likely they won't spot when there's a real problem.
As to the farrier thing, priceless. I know its the law, but even vets don't care.
 
I'm glad you've made a complaint Op, don't put up with any more of this rubbish. I think they need something in writing to set out clearly that you won't be bothered at work again and you are explicitly forbidding them to examine your horses unless you are present by prior appointment.

As for the thing about farriers and vets, I just thank my lucky stars that I'm tucked away in a quiet little corner and nobody knows what nefarious hoof trimming I get up to, let alone the fact that I'd let my trimmer decide we'd probably got an abcess that needed attending to! I'm not going to pay a vet's call out fee when I won't let a vet near an abcess anyway (based on bitter experience of hoof butchery by vets...).
 
Wasn't from the Drumoak centre was it? Apparently there they don't know or give a stuff about horses - just your small animals.

We had an officer from a charity years ago at the yard, someone called them maliciously as she was peeved at another livery - so childish. And before even speaking ot anyone the man climbed into the field and looked at ALL the horses. I personally think this is crazy as what if one of the horses kicked him or attacked him to his serious injury? Then the yard owner or horse owners would be liable yes?

Also, about the tresspass - I know it doesn't exist in Scotland, but I was under the impression that if a field contains livestock and is LOCKED then you should not enter it (unless it contains a right of way).

There is a tresspass law, BUT, doesn't cover fields - Trespass (Scotland) Act 1865.
 
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