Help - Incident tonight. Can police protect our horses?

Armas

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You need to TELL the Police to caution them under Section 5 of the Public Order Act 1986. In layman's terms, it deals with anything that causes harassment, alarm and distress. Go and check out Section 5 here:

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1986/64

This Act applies to both Public and Private places.

Just tell the Police the incident has caused you a GREAT DEAL of alarm and distress.

You need to push the Police to caution them. The caution will have to be done by a Police Superintendent. The caution means they don't have to go to court and it would be the end of the matter. An admission of guilt is required before a person can be invited to accept a Police caution. The caution will stay on their records.

Alternatively, the threat of being cautioned should deter them from doing it again...

This ^^^^ I may get flamed for this but do hope she broke a few bones that will serve her right. Perhaps then she will learn not to ride other peoples horses.
 

stroppymare153

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So, if someone were daft enough to leave keys in an unlocked car in a car park I could drive it round to my heart's content??

agree with armas - something painful but non life threatening would do her the world of good! :-D
 

Polos Mum

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Sadly there are specific laws for cars - taking without concent or something like that - it's the one teenagers always end up with when they take their parents cars!! Also you wouldn't be insured which is also an offence.

It would be the same if you went and had a swin in someones pool or cycled round on their bike.

Luckily most vaguely horsey people would realise how stupid/ dangerous it is to hop on someone elses horse (BUT I have to confess to trying to ride neighbours cows as a stupid teenager! - we were always more damaged than the cows!)
 

hnmisty

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At 15, I expect all the police could do anyway is give her a good telling off. Hopefully she's had as big a scare as is needed to stop her from doing it again.

I too would be livid, but I don't think there's much to be done.
 

HBM1

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She hopefully has learned her lesson and perhaps a warning is enough. I think an official caution is a bit much to be honest. Just having a police caution can stop people applying for certain jobs, and at 15, when she was probably showing off, not thinking (not all 15 year olds are street wise oafs) - that would be a shame. However, if she was abusing the horse (you haven't said how?) then that is a whole different matter.

Just to add though, when I was a child I was passionate about horses, none of my family were (and life at home was less than rosy, so being out with the horses was better than anything). We had a common near home where horses were turned out. I fell in love with a palomino and my friend and I tried to ride her - soon found out she was unbacked. I was only 9 though, and didn't think anything through - I would never have gone into a field to do so though even at that age. I definitely was not cruel to them, I just wanted to be around them all the time. After she threw me off we contented ourselves with grooming her. Not everyone has evil intentions, even though, legally, it may not be the right thing to do. Not saying it is the same in this girl's situation, but she may not be meaning to be in the wrong?
 

Fransurrey

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I would also monitor your horse, OP. If he's freshly backed, this could well set him back a bit, or he may just take it as a freak occurrence and just be wary for a little while. If he DOES take exception to being ridden now and you intended to sell him on, his worth will have fallen. A re-valuation of his worth would result in a number with which the offender would have to re-imburse you. All hard to prove, though, as it's rather subjective. As a 15 yr old, she's well above the age of culpability and I also hope she's got a broken bone or two.

HBM1, I came from what is described these days as a pauper family. No money for food, nevermind horses, but it never once crossed my mind to get on the back of somebody else's horse or pony.

RIP Common Sense. We all miss you.
 

TigerTail

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Fran Surrey x 2!!!

You do not go around getting on other peoples horses/bikes/cars its called RESPECT for other peoples property for petes sake!

A friend has had this happen to her horses twice in the last month, except he is a 42 yr old pony, long retired and now hopping lame having been hammered down the road and left on a verge :eek: Police wont do a damn thing.
 

Dry Rot

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She hopefully has learned her lesson and perhaps a warning is enough. I think an official caution is a bit much to be honest. Just having a police caution can stop people applying for certain jobs, and at 15, when she was probably showing off, not thinking (not all 15 year olds are street wise oafs) - that would be a shame. However, if she was abusing the horse (you haven't said how?) then that is a whole different matter.

Just to add though, when I was a child I was passionate about horses, none of my family were (and life at home was less than rosy, so being out with the horses was better than anything). We had a common near home where horses were turned out. I fell in love with a palomino and my friend and I tried to ride her - soon found out she was unbacked. I was only 9 though, and didn't think anything through - I would never have gone into a field to do so though even at that age. I definitely was not cruel to them, I just wanted to be around them all the time. After she threw me off we contented ourselves with grooming her. Not everyone has evil intentions, even though, legally, it may not be the right thing to do. Not saying it is the same in this girl's situation, but she may not be meaning to be in the wrong?

This ^^^^

Let he/she who never did anything stupid as a child issue the first caution.

In my case, it was a 18HH Shire horse which, thankfully, was too tall for me to get on!

By all means stamp down hard on nasty vicious behaviour (and get a family counsellor out to the parents) but I'd suggest a better approach might be to invite the girl for some riding lessons or to help with grooming and tactfully point out what she did wrong.

Yes, she could have caused the horse permanent damage, but did she know that? If stupidity was a crime there would be an awful lot of people behind bars.
 

Miss L Toe

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oh dear, talk about mountains and molehills, forget it.... the police wont do anything, it has to be persistant, even then they wont do anything unless it falls in to a crime situation.
As a child, I used to go into fields and talk to horses, and it was not with evil intent.
 

Armas

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This ^^^^
If stupidity was a crime there would be an awful lot of people behind bars.

Ignorance or stupidity is not a defence simple.

oh dear, talk about mountains and molehills, forget it.... the police wont do anything, it has to be persistant, even then they wont do anything unless it falls in to a crime situation.
As a child, I used to go into fields and talk to horses, and it was not with evil intent.

The fragile steps toward a child's understanding that lying, stealing, cheating and hurting are out of bounds.
To the legal system, the answer is clear: children have the requisite moral sense--the ability to tell right from wrong--by age 7 to 15, and so can be held responsible for their actions. The Roman Catholic Church pegs it at the early end of that range: children reach the "age of reason" by the tender age of 7, a milestone marked by their first confession of sin and holy communion. Developmental psychologists and other researchers who study the question are not so sure. How old a child must be to both know in his mind and feel in his heart that lying, stealing, cheating, hurting--let alone murdering--are morally wrong is a matter of scientific debate.
 

Fairynuff

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This ^^^^

Let he/she who never did anything stupid as a child issue the first caution.

In my case, it was a 18HH Shire horse which, thankfully, was too tall for me to get on!

By all means stamp down hard on nasty vicious behaviour (and get a family counsellor out to the parents) but I'd suggest a better approach might be to invite the girl for some riding lessons or to help with grooming and tactfully point out what she did wrong.

Yes, she could have caused the horse permanent damage, but did she know that? If stupidity was a crime there would be an awful lot of people behind bars.

This^^^^^
Im sure the police have better things to do and Im sure the girl has realised that sneaking rides isn't always a good idea. I am rather shocked at the reply given by Armas. I'm not going to 'flame' him but as a grown man I didn't expect such a childish and vitriolic statement :(
I think that there is a huge over reaction by all and think the hanging squad should think honestly about their own youth. No harm done, hopefully!
 

Clodagh

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Ignorance or stupidity is not a defence simple.



The fragile steps toward a child's understanding that lying, stealing, cheating and hurting are out of bounds.
To the legal system, the answer is clear: children have the requisite moral sense--the ability to tell right from wrong--by age 7 to 15, and so can be held responsible for their actions. The Roman Catholic Church pegs it at the early end of that range: children reach the "age of reason" by the tender age of 7, a milestone marked by their first confession of sin and holy communion. Developmental psychologists and other researchers who study the question are not so sure. How old a child must be to both know in his mind and feel in his heart that lying, stealing, cheating, hurting--let alone murdering--are morally wrong is a matter of scientific debate.

I hardly think the Catholic church can be held up as a golden example of child care.

At 15 I did lots of stupid things, no I wouldn't have got on someone elses pony - I luckily had one of my own - but certainly did things that were technically illegal. I do feel sorry for the OP and her horse though and I hope the 15 year old will be made to come and apologise - my parents would have made me!
 

Armas

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Why single me out others have said the exact same things. Criminality progresses from a small acts to start with. I have no time for being soft. You jump on my horse and get hurt tough.
Society needs to be stronger and take actions against antisocial behaviour. Look how many teenagers were involved in the London riots. Tougher punishments and punish all youngsters that commit crime to hopefully deter them.
 

Sandstone1

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I had this happen, when I kept my horses in a field with houses along one side of it. It was a little mare that was not ridden due to behavioural and lameness problems, she was also a oap. I had a phone call one day from someone living in one of the houses to say that some kids were riding her and hitting her with a stick, I rushed down to the field which was only 5 mins away and was just in time to see what was going on, A litle girl of about 9 was riding the pony with a few others kids looking on. As they saw me they ran for their lives, I managed to grab one of the kids, A boy who was frightend out of his wits, I held him by the arm until he gave me the name of the girl riding. ( would probably get in to trouble for this now!) Anyway to cut a long story short I called the police and I visted the mother of the little girl who was by now home and had changed her clothes, mother said it was not her child, I asked if she had just changed her clothes, mother said yes. I asked her to have a look at the trousers she had just taken off, If it was her they would have been covered in grey horse hair. Low and behold the trousers were covered in hair! Que the little girl getting a telling off and being sent to her room, also had a telling off from the village police man. This was quite a few years ago now. Luckily no harm was done to pony or child but it could have been very differant. I also now never ever leave any sort of headcollar on in case this makes it easier for a childto catch a pony.
 
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HBM1

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HBM1, I came from what is described these days as a pauper family. No money for food, nevermind horses, but it never once crossed my mind to get on the back of somebody else's horse or pony.

RIP Common Sense. We all miss you.

Well, all I can say is as a 9 year old child, when seeing horses roaming free on a moor/common, I did not consider that they may be owned by someone, as I said, I would not have dreamed of going into a field. Anyway, I am not going to argue the toss as to what 9 year old does one thing and another does something else - the point I was trying to put across, which seems to have been entirely missed - is that not every child does something with malicious intent. Can't speak for the 15 year old, I don't know her.
 

Fairynuff

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Why single me out others have said the exact same things. Criminality progresses from a small acts to start with. I have no time for being soft. You jump on my horse and get hurt tough.
Society needs to be stronger and take actions against antisocial behaviour. Look how many teenagers were involved in the London riots. Tougher punishments and punish all youngsters that commit crime to hopefully deter them.

I singled you out Armas as I did not expect to 'hear' such an awful thing (wishing her broken bones) coming from the 'mouth' of a grown man on an open forum. You have let yourself down badly.
I also cant quite see how sneak riding can be classed as a crime. No, she shouldn't have done it can hardly be compared to the rioting in London. How would you punish her?
 

Armas

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I singled you out Armas as I did not expect to 'hear' such an awful thing (wishing her broken bones) coming from the 'mouth' of a grown man on an open forum. You have let yourself down badly.
I also cant quite see how sneak riding can be classed as a crime. No, she shouldn't have done it can hardly be compared to the rioting in London. How would you punish her?

Sneaking a ride that makes it ok does it please. Crime is crime and should be stamped out at a young age. I am sure if it were your horse or your property your answer would be different.
 

Fairynuff

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thank gwad you don't make the laws Armas: I think I would be out on good behaviour about now after going down for the apples I scrumped from the neighbours orchard way back in 1969!! Have a Pastis on the rocks and chill, it's a lovely day. :)
 

lachlanandmarcus

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I think everyone deserves one chance (but only one).

So I would (given the shoe etc) be asking the police to have a 'chat' with the girl, rather than a caution. But I wouldnt be droppping it and not doing anything, since 15 is Not a little kid and is more than old enough to know that what she was doing was really wrong, and to make it clear to her that any further interference with any horse without permission will be taken extremely seriously, and also that she will have to pay for the horse to be reshod.
 

TheresaW

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I can't understand all the people on here saying it wasn't a big deal. I would be absolutely furious if some one just took it upon themselves to enter one of my fields and ride one of my horses. I work bloody hard to keep my horses, and the thought of someone just thinking they can help themselves makes me mad. Same as the scumbag that broke into our garage and helped themselves to OH's push bike, and the one that climbed on the roof of my house and stole all the lead off of it. Ok, I wouldn't expect the police to get involved in the matter, but tough luck if they fell off and got hurt. I certainly wouldn't feel any guilt about it.

At the end of the day, we aren't talking about a 9 year old here, we are talking about a 15 year old who in another years time could be going out into the big wide world, working and earning money.
 

Sandstone1

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I agree, I was very angry when it happened to me and only let it go as it was a 9 year old child and I made sure that both she and her mother knew have dangerous and serious it was. The village policeman also gave her a telling off
I think I would either write a very strongly worded letter to her parents, or get a solicitors letter sent to her pointing out the damage she may have done.
 

MagicMelon

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What about cruelty to animals? Since she was seriously risking her own safety and that of the horse (YOUR horse at that)? Your horse might not have been able to be ridden for example, she could have caused great distress and pain to it. I would be absolutely livid! Hope she did hurt herself, she deserves it. What a weird, selfish thing to do.
 
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