Had a visit from the SSPCA today!

No1_in_particular

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I did expect it as one of the local nutters offered for a pony (she is incapable of looking after herself never mind her horses) and I explained that this certain pony wasn't for sale....

SSPCA officer was of the understanding that my horses were not being provided with 'basic nutrition'. I had no problems showing her the horses and did explain that i did expect a visit and I also had to add that I'm not particularly happy about it as it's the same person who called them 11 times last year (resulting in 11 rediculous visits - dead horses in the fields, foals fighting, pregnant shetlands with no grass, etc ..!)

It's the first time in any of these visits that i have felt that they really were looking for something to 'get me on' and it's really not a nice feeling........ I showed her everything and she said that the person who contacted her said they have no water or food....... Granted they get no feed, only good quality hay (so far and counting 150 big round bales I may add!!) All my horses are well wormed and feet trimmed etc and the field in particular the caller complained about has 2 ring feeders and 2 water troughs and a natural stream on the border of the 35 acre field!!! Yes there is mud but with 14 horses all in together who wouldn't have mud!

Anyway here are a few photos of the starving beasties (taken saturday & sunday last weekend).... dying of the hunger poor things!!!
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P.s. they are all yearlings and 2 year olds...
 
I forgot to add that my mares etc in different field DO get fed hard feed along with hay....... just these guys, in my opinion, don't actually need it......!
 
Gosh, you must be so worried, they look terrible! I am so glad the people who reported you don't live near me, they would have a fit if they saw mine. With the exception of one very good doer ours are all coming out of winter thinner than they went in, this is a first and I ain't happy! A couple are a little too thin despite having ad lib haylage since November at £100 per week and hard feed to top it up.

It is time that timewasters were fined for wasting time of the charities when they could be out dealing with true abuse cases, it is very obvious from looking at yours that they are not malnourished and if they have running water then there is no problem. They all look lovely
 
I forgot to add that my mares etc in different field DO get fed hard feed along with hay....... just these guys, in my opinion, don't actually need it......!

That lot wouldn't get hard feed from me either!!! they all look lovely and if I had some spare money there's one or two I would like!! They all look fantastic, and after 11 visits I would be inclined to tell the SSPCA that I would be seeking legal advice for harrassment:mad:
 
I think they look great ,I ve had the rspca visit also when my mares field was muddy ,she had a stable to go in that was clean and dry but chose not to ,they were told that she was never fed ,they didnt see me feeding her and as she is so prone to weight gain only gets a small amount which is gone in no time ,I dont suppose these time wasters would be interested in reporting obese horses and those of us that manage ours well always seem to get reported .Needless to say the gpsies down the road who have been banned from keeping horses still have about 5 there and the rspca dont seem bothered .
 
Thanks for your comments

I do feed the mares (bruised barley and sugar beet) as some of them had big foals on them by the time they were weaned and were a little poorer coming into winter. There are 12 on 35 acres but the grass is poorer than the field the youngsters are in.

As they are all as fat as pigs now, and starting to look like they are ready to drop, their feed is being cut down gradually..... by the end of the month they will all be on hay only as I don't want to grow big foals for them to have a tough time giving birth in June...

My foals all winter in and they are fed hay in ring feeders, and get the same barley and sugarbeet twice daily and they get their vit and mineral licks during the day...(they would eat them all the time if they could lol!)

I have two later foals (end of august) who were both ill and they I can't seem to wean them off milk pelets and creep feed so they have this mixed through their barley.......

It's hard to please everyone hehe!
 
I think they look great ,I ve had the rspca visit also when my mares field was muddy ,she had a stable to go in that was clean and dry but chose not to ,they were told that she was never fed ,they didnt see me feeding her and as she is so prone to weight gain only gets a small amount which is gone in no time ,I dont suppose these time wasters would be interested in reporting obese horses and those of us that manage ours well always seem to get reported .Needless to say the gpsies down the road who have been banned from keeping horses still have about 5 there and the rspca dont seem bothered .


We did get onto the discussion about obese horses...... (maybe she that's what she was going 'to do me for' lol).... I don't want my horses any thinnner, they are growing and not working and I do monitor them and if they do get too fat they go onto a poorer bit but i very rarely have to do this...... I don't want my cobs to look like arabs (although arabs are nice - don't get me wrong!)

I have a new mare just brought home from travellers....... she's as poor as a church mouse and was riddled with lice and after her wormer she passed snakes! She'll be fine with me though and is laready looking better after only 5 days....... I'm glad the SSPCA officer didn't see her as she has no passport and was dying thin when i got her....... what do I do though? tell them where I got her and risk my fences being cut or sheds being burned?

Terrible times....lol
 
They all look lovely, Not a nice feeling for you but I'm sure SSPCA lady having satisfied herself will not be rushing back to check if she gets any more malicious calls.
 
dont it just annoy you when people cant keep they long nose out of other peoples buisness .
i was and still is with a person from my area , my horses were not being provided with 'basic nutrition' either like hell are they not after keep ask and tell the woman to come and see 40 bales of hay and the haylege, i brought not to menshion countless number of feed ,i have also said to her that is she is so convinced that horses are not looked after probley then call the rspca both horses are in 4 acre field very little mud a water trought that self filling then go ahead but she has never done it ,and never came to see feed or hay .
i hate it when people think that are conserned about the animals but they are obversley not cconserned about the ones that the rspca are missing due to having to deal with calls they are not needed . its studid , anyway this with me has been going on for well over a year and i stll get it maybe the rspca should think about taken people to caught that are seriously wasting there time on wasted phone calls
 
Isn't it strange how it can take weeks or months to get the RSPCA to react to a 'real' case whereas they are as keen as mustard to investigate malicious reports!!! I have a friend with a 32-year-old pony who is happy but beginning to show his advanced years. She started getting visits every few weeks - every one ending with a satisfied inspector complimenting her on the pony's care - until she put a light rug on said horse. This was enough to satisfy the complainants!
 
How ruddy ridiculous, these charities have enough on their hands without all this time wasting! Have to say your cobs are absolutely gorgeous, if I had the money I would love to have all of those!
 
Where are you? Possibly local to me? (South ish)? I was involved in a case with the RSPCA afew years ago, they actually prosecuted this poor woman and I had been there with her and seen her feeding bales of hay in the tractor just as you do, sadly there were no photos of it so they did her. I think they should stick to looking after fluffy bunnies and real cruelty cases. Interfering busybodies! It must have been awful.
 
Good god........ I have been battling to feed four gypsy ponies all winter to keep them above body score 1. Send this idiot of a caller my way, and she might actually get someone out - which I haven't been able to !!! (a very long story).

Your coblets are gourgeous !!! sm x
 
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