cbmcts
Well-Known Member
While this sounds horrific, loose horses on the road are a huge problem in this area, particularly at this time of year. The grass has gone off, hay is rarely provided and the fencing is rubbish so horses go looking for food. Sadly the verges and central reservations of major roads generally have grass.
If you remember there were 2 horrific loose horse RTAs on the A127 last year within a week of each other? The police cracked down hard on loose horses after that and rightly so. What they used to do was just shove them in the nearest field but half the time that field wasn't properly fenced so they were back on the road soon or if it was, the landowner complained bitterly to them because they were stuck with wormy, often lice ridden horses that the owners had no intention of collecting - after all free livery isn't it. On occasion the police even bolt cuttered chains to throw them in with other horses - colts in with mares anybody? There were some serious complaints about that understandably enough... So they're not allowed to do that anymore thankfully.
Now what can the police do? The RSPCA in this area are pretty useless especially with large animals (Sorry but it's true) Essex Horse and Pony Society used to go out and collect strays but I know they've had a hard couple of years so I suspect that they may have stopped/cut back on doing that. I can't think of any other charities or sanctuaries that would be able to do it in the area. The unofficial network of yard owners that would collect and hold have pretty much died off, because they have no room and got sick of been landed with horses for weeks on end without payment or thanks.
It's tough, it really is but I honestly don't know what they can do. Not getting their horses back must be a deterrent to those whose horses habitually wander I suppose. It was probably one of Martins knackermen that you saw, they use a pistol and they're only up the road in Black Notley.
If you remember there were 2 horrific loose horse RTAs on the A127 last year within a week of each other? The police cracked down hard on loose horses after that and rightly so. What they used to do was just shove them in the nearest field but half the time that field wasn't properly fenced so they were back on the road soon or if it was, the landowner complained bitterly to them because they were stuck with wormy, often lice ridden horses that the owners had no intention of collecting - after all free livery isn't it. On occasion the police even bolt cuttered chains to throw them in with other horses - colts in with mares anybody? There were some serious complaints about that understandably enough... So they're not allowed to do that anymore thankfully.
Now what can the police do? The RSPCA in this area are pretty useless especially with large animals (Sorry but it's true) Essex Horse and Pony Society used to go out and collect strays but I know they've had a hard couple of years so I suspect that they may have stopped/cut back on doing that. I can't think of any other charities or sanctuaries that would be able to do it in the area. The unofficial network of yard owners that would collect and hold have pretty much died off, because they have no room and got sick of been landed with horses for weeks on end without payment or thanks.
It's tough, it really is but I honestly don't know what they can do. Not getting their horses back must be a deterrent to those whose horses habitually wander I suppose. It was probably one of Martins knackermen that you saw, they use a pistol and they're only up the road in Black Notley.