Shysmum
Well-Known Member
Hello, this is my very first post...and i'm asking for advice, sorry. I am distraught tbh, sorry this is a long one.
I used to work in animal welfare, so am very concerned about welfare stuff. I keep my youngster on a farm/ DIY livery yard, and before anyone asks, I am desperately seeking to move asap - I have only been there for a few months. I have never kept a horse on a livery yard before (always at private houses, very lucky) and I'm totally stunned by what goes on.
The long and short of it is that I need to do something for a pony, one of a group, which is now Body score 1 - 0. I have been checking on this group as much as I can, breaking their iced trough, feeding carrots, etc, as the owner has never been down since I arrived. The farmer changed them from haylage to poor quality hay about two weeks ago, and things are now critical. All the ponies (gypsy cobs) have very thick coats, so unless you have a good feel, or can tell a poor animal, it could be thought "from a distance" it was ok. It's not.
Anyway, I told the farmer last week that I am very concerned (he knows my background), and was told it was "nothing to do with him, they have hay and water, blah,blah,blah" and of course, I was made to feel the interfering b****. I know the law, and I know that these ponies are being fed/watered by the farmer, and so he has a responsibility to their welfare, as does the owner. Anyway, nothing has been done. My first instinct is to call the RSPCA, or the WHW.
I am desperate to move (and am working to find somewhere safe) - this farmer is quite a senior figure in the area - and in the meantime am feeding these ponies twice a day, but it is not enough. I have discussed with a friend about bringing her in, rugging her, feeding her more, etc, but this will cause real eruptions with said farmer.
All that said, my first responsibility is to my beloved pony, and I know the sort of reprisals that can happen, and are a real risk with this particular owner. Any report would automatically come back on me. I thought I had found the ideal yard to move to, but this is taking a time to sort out, not for the want of pushing from me, and I know that when I do something about this mare, my name will be blacklisted from many other yards.
I promise I will do the right thing for this mare, and am paying a lot myself to try and feed her to keep her alive until I can report it. The biggest shock for me has been the YO/farmers attitude. I know he sees me every day feeding and checking her, I know he thinks I'm an interfering old cow. And while I'm at it, I am horrified at how other liveries just hover above the line of neglect. Urgh !!!
Rant over, thanks so much for listening to me. I am just sovery sad and angry. I am not one of those people who can turn a blind eye and walk away - I am so stressed.
SM x
I used to work in animal welfare, so am very concerned about welfare stuff. I keep my youngster on a farm/ DIY livery yard, and before anyone asks, I am desperately seeking to move asap - I have only been there for a few months. I have never kept a horse on a livery yard before (always at private houses, very lucky) and I'm totally stunned by what goes on.
The long and short of it is that I need to do something for a pony, one of a group, which is now Body score 1 - 0. I have been checking on this group as much as I can, breaking their iced trough, feeding carrots, etc, as the owner has never been down since I arrived. The farmer changed them from haylage to poor quality hay about two weeks ago, and things are now critical. All the ponies (gypsy cobs) have very thick coats, so unless you have a good feel, or can tell a poor animal, it could be thought "from a distance" it was ok. It's not.
Anyway, I told the farmer last week that I am very concerned (he knows my background), and was told it was "nothing to do with him, they have hay and water, blah,blah,blah" and of course, I was made to feel the interfering b****. I know the law, and I know that these ponies are being fed/watered by the farmer, and so he has a responsibility to their welfare, as does the owner. Anyway, nothing has been done. My first instinct is to call the RSPCA, or the WHW.
I am desperate to move (and am working to find somewhere safe) - this farmer is quite a senior figure in the area - and in the meantime am feeding these ponies twice a day, but it is not enough. I have discussed with a friend about bringing her in, rugging her, feeding her more, etc, but this will cause real eruptions with said farmer.
All that said, my first responsibility is to my beloved pony, and I know the sort of reprisals that can happen, and are a real risk with this particular owner. Any report would automatically come back on me. I thought I had found the ideal yard to move to, but this is taking a time to sort out, not for the want of pushing from me, and I know that when I do something about this mare, my name will be blacklisted from many other yards.
I promise I will do the right thing for this mare, and am paying a lot myself to try and feed her to keep her alive until I can report it. The biggest shock for me has been the YO/farmers attitude. I know he sees me every day feeding and checking her, I know he thinks I'm an interfering old cow. And while I'm at it, I am horrified at how other liveries just hover above the line of neglect. Urgh !!!
Rant over, thanks so much for listening to me. I am just sovery sad and angry. I am not one of those people who can turn a blind eye and walk away - I am so stressed.
SM x
