Help Humphrey

I'm not even the owner so you can be suspicous about me all you want, I'm just not intertesed in wasting my time debating with someone who isn't interested in hearing the truth.
 
HelpHumphrey said:
I'm not even the owner so you can be suspicous about me all you want, I'm just not intertesed in wasting my time debating with someone who isn't interested in hearing the truth.
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I bet the owner is very happy to have you representing them with an attitude like that.........
 
I am still very much surprised that the SSPCA have failed to date to make a public announcement about this case - even if it has to take account of the confines of a potential legal action being taken.

I would suggest that the rider who is a young girl can not be expected to be completely experienced in horse management and that she is an innocent party in this matter

I would be interested to learn if the owner of the horse had had any previous encounters with any equine welfare charities which had already put this horse under the welfare spotlight?

I know nothing of the common ride but is it literally a 6 mile pleasure ride carried out at a full gallop or is it a mixture of walk, trot, cater and gallop?

Many horses will come out of Winter looking under weight but again there is underweight and life threatening underweight and unfit and very unfit. In addition many horses loose weight again in early Spring when their coat is changing from a Winter to a Summer coat.

I do not know how fit the horse was kept over the Winter but I would suggest that this horse is clearly loved and regularly ridden by the rider if not also by the owner.

Something has gone wrong here but I am not impressed by how the charity concerned has handled this situation by attempting to instantly remove the horse in the presence of this young girl after she has just ridden it. It makes the young girl look accountable for something that she probably knew nothing of.

The charity concerned should hand their head in shame in the manner they have dealt with this matter and discipline the members of their staff concerned.
 
Whilst there might be more to this story, it may be that the concern over Humphrey's care was increased by the link to the bay mare, who by all accounts was in a shocking condition.

Perhaps the SPCA have over-reacted but this may be a decision to err on the side of caution when there is a second horse involved at the same yard which is in a very bad way. Whilst I'm sure it must be distressing for the owners, who are clearly distancing themselves from the bay horse, sometimes the whole picture needs to be looked at. I would be concerned for the welfare of a "lean" horse from the same yard as one which has already deteriorated. It is better to be too careful when an animal's welfare is at stake and I am sure that Humphrey's life is not in imminent danger at the SPCA yard.

It may be that once all the evidence is in, they SPCA will find no link between the horses and the horse will be returned to it's stable with advice to up the feed and check teeth. I can only hope that this is the case and the girl, who seems to adore her horse, can ensure that he puts on condition in the future.

This being said, a Facebook post yesterday states

"people have suggested getting a solicitor, legal aid will not cover the owner till they are charged..."

If I should ever find myself in a position where my horse has been involved in such a situation, I would get legal advice immediately regardless of the cost.

To all involved: It is vital that you are aware of your rights and the rights of the SPCA. I am aware that it costs money but no more so than vet fees for an injury- and this is a situation where your horse's welfare is at stake. If you cannot afford this, then you seriously need to consider whether you can afford to keep a horse.
 
Oh FFS a lean old horse after a harsh winter is not a problem if measures are being put in place to rectify the issue.

A thin, old horse after a harsh winter being taken on a 5 hour fast ride is suggestive that his basic care needs are not being met which IS a welfare issue.

I have a TB who can drop weight easily....& trust me winter hasn't been a barrel of laughs here. Hence why his eventing season is starting late so I can be sure he is in optimal condition for the work I'm asking if him....simple, no?

And I will repeat what I posted earlier the SSPCA didn't just chance upon Humphrey, somebody reported him for his condition and/or how he was being treated. This speaks volumes.
 
For what I know first hand:

I do not know if Humphrey hacked there or home as I didn't see. I know the emaciated bay mare from the same yard, and the very unfit lean coloured cob, did as the riders told us they had/were! It's a 2hr walk.

Humphrey wasn't worryingly thin, just very lean and unmuscled. He cantered, pranced, plunged and reared for almost the entire ride and got himself into a complete state. He should have been taken home near the beginning when it became obvious how stressed he was. However it's not uncommon for riders to make the wrong decision on a ride like that. I don't think it requires SSPCA removal though so there is something else.going on, probably linked to the bay mare.

Also bear in mind this 'girl who loves him' in the videos is not the owner. He is not her responsibility (she's still a child) and the horse has been removed from the OWNER and would be returned to him, if he is. He is owned by the Yard Owner, the same person who told the novice on the bay that 'the ride would help build muscle'.
 
Kallibear your post is very enlightening.

So there is 1 very emaciated horse taken on a hard ride.
1 'lean' horse taken on a hard ride where he behaves in a very stressed manner.
Both on the same yard.
I'm actually starting to think the SSPCA made the right call TBH
 
Can i recap? ( i think its coming togethor...)

- The girl in the videos's mum doesn't own the horse?
- The owner of the horse is the yard owner who is also the owner of a horse that was in a very bad state?
- Both been taken away?

Why can't the girl wait and ask to have him re homed to her and they can give her the advice needed (if the above is correct)???
 
LittleBecky said:
Can i recap? ( i think its coming togethor...)

- The girl in the videos's mum doesn't own the horse?
- The owner of the horse is the yard owner who is also the owner of a horse that was in a very bad state?
- Both been taken away?
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Yes, that's right.

Why can't the girl wait and ask to have him re homed to her and they can give her the advice needed???
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This may have been suggested, I don't know. But as the horses have been seized, I expect the process has to now run its course.
 
I don't know if the emaciated bay mare and Humphrey are owned by the same people. The mare maybe owned by the YO's girlfriend (I know she has a bay mare TB). I do know the novice girl on the emaciated bay was advised by the YO that she's be fine to go, as she told us that.
 
From the "Help Humphrey" FB page:

it appears the horse and hounds forum has been hijacked by an aggressive bunch trying to discredit the Help Humphrey campaign - why so aggressive/defensive? perhaps they're afraid?

Says an awful lot more about themselves than those they're attempting to rubbish - no matter, those who know the truth are the honest, ordinary people who have the intelligence to make up their own minds after viewing the video taken the day he was 'forcibly moved' by the SSPCA - well done Allana for having the foresight to parade proudly around that weekend having the video rolling.......don't let these frightened scumbags wear you all down - fight for justice, we're all behind you and growing in numbers daily.
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Frightened scumbags??? :rolleyes:
 
Really do not think alot of the people on FB are doing any faviours towards getting the horse home....
 
I do not think anyone here wants to see a healthy, happy horse illegitimately removed from the possession of a young girl and the lawful and responsible ownership of her mother. The situation described on Facebook and the video would indeed be distressing

Unfortunately no one has managed to prove that;

The horse is healthy
The removal was illegitimate
The animal is under the lawful ownership of the mother and daughter, as portrayed by the page
The owner of the animal, irrelevant of their identity, is acting in a responsible manner to recover the horse

Once this is proven, you will have me as your most adamant supporter. Until then, my sympathies are with the young girl and the horse, neither of whom deserve to be embroiled in such a mess.
 
LadyGascoyne said:
I do not think anyone here wants to see a healthy, happy horse illegitimately removed from the possession of a young girl and the lawful and responsible ownership of her mother. The situation described on Facebook and the video would indeed be distressing

Unfortunately no one has managed to prove that;

The horse is healthy
The removal was illegitimate
The animal is under the lawful ownership of the mother and daughter, as portrayed by the page
The owner of the animal, irrelevant of their identity, is acting in a responsible manner to recover the horse

Once this is proven, you will have me as your most adamant supporter. Until then, my sympathies are with the young girl and the horse, neither of whom deserve to be embroiled in such a mess.
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Horse is owned by a man, not the girl riding.
 
asbo said:
Horse is owned by a man, not the girl riding.
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I apologise, I felt that the Facebook page seemed to link the ownership of the horse to the girl; my mistake.

I see that according to thescotsman.com, link on the Help Humphrey Facebook page, the horse actually belongs to a 36 year old man.
 
Humphrey is owned by the YO. The girl will most likely be leasing him (at the YO's yard) in the american style where they pay a certain amount each month to cover his 'lease'
 
OAP65 said:
Exactly, I have posted that this horse was SEEN hacking to the Common Ride, so HH is mistaken in saying that Humphrey wasnt hacked first. I am local and I know who I believe and who I dont.
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I dont understand how this fits in with the vids of him being loaded? I also thought the girl refused to unload him, which I also cant reconcile with hacking to the meet?

eagerly anticipating enlightenment from you or HH
 
I don't think its implausible that they hacked to the meet and someone came to pick them up and take them home.
 
Owner does not own any other horse that was on that ride. Him and his partner have three other horses who never even got looked at by the inspector! These horses are in prime condition! The inspector was only interested in the TB. The bay and cob are owned by different people. The ride was suppsose to be a nice day out they had heard it was a quiet common ride mainly walking and the odd canter, this turned out not to be the case, it is hard not to allow a horse to go with the herd so they did have to keep up with the canters when it was done on hardcore paths, does this mean owner deserved to have their horse taken! The people that know them don't think so, they are not malicious people out to see their animals suffer! We understand not all the evidence is available to the public so yes we expect negativity...
 
I'm sorry but the 'herd' comment is rubbish - the rider could (and perhaps should) have stopped the ride at any time. if they couldnt control the horse enough to stop it and turn for home then they shouldnt have been there. Better judgement was needed but for one reason or another (probably having too much fun) it wasnt used

But I digress......

You are right in what you say that what happened on that particular day wasnt enough to take the horse but unfortunately without all the details surrounding the whole situation its hard for people to say whether the actual removal of the horse was justified or not
 
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