Hffft horses without water

[Horsekaren]

There is a field I pass every day and the horses go days and days without water. They are currently on their 3rd day with no water. I have given them a small amount here and there but without a tap it is impossible. This has been going on for years.
RSPCA won’t do anything unless one is visibly ill... kind of made me feel like I was a busy body saying that they may be getting water .... I know for sure that they arnt. The owner knows they go without water as even when advised they have no water it can take a few days for some to appear
Is there anything else I can try, I don’t have the means to keep giving them water. It is just a case of I wait for one to get sick and then call again? Breaks my heart seeing them gasping, fighting and kicking at the water butts.

 

[Kaylum]

Report to your local horse charity. They will have a word with the owners and try and help them if they can.

 

[Pinkvboots]

I can't stand this it's just not on it's so cruel, do you know who they belong to?

 

[meleeka]

Post on a local fb group, anonymously if you can. That always seems to get action round here. My neighbours horse doesn’t always have water (and still has a h/w rug on today, despite it being really warm) but I try not to look. He just doesn’t think it’s vital to have water all the time. I’ve reported it before but the last time I got involved I ended up with the horse!

 

[Nasicus]

Try World Horse Welfare, they're usually far more useful than the RSPCA where horses are concerned.

 

[Horsekaren]

I know who they belong to but don’t know them personally. I don’t want to put all over fb as I can’t do it anonymously.

our local charity says on their website horses don’t need to be with water all the time which I understand but it just goes on for days. There was another horse in the field earlier, it died ... not sure if related to water issues. They have been removed from their care in the past.
It’s just so awful seeing them suffer but they are all fat, they don’t look like they are in Ill health. One got Ill a while back as they had no food all winter and dropped far to much weight then I see posts on fb from the owner asking how to get a laminitc horse to gain weight ... why would a laminitic horse ever be in a situation of needing to gain weight .... one reason neglect! I think that must have been reported for them to suddenly start feeding and vets were present.
I don’t want to interfere or upset the owner but how can they get away with not caring for their such basic needs !!!

 

[meleeka]

I know who they belong to but don’t know them personally. I don’t want to put all over fb as I can’t do it anonymously.

our local charity says on their website horses don’t need to be with water all the time which I understand but it just goes on for days. There was another horse in the field earlier, it died ... not sure if related to water issues. They have been removed from their care in the past.
It’s just so awful seeing them suffer but they are all fat, they don’t look like they are in Ill health. One got Ill a while back as they had no food all winter and dropped far to much weight then I see posts on fb from the owner asking how to get a laminitc horse to gain weight ... why would a laminitic horse ever be in a situation of needing to gain weight .... one reason neglect! I think that must have been reported for them to suddenly start feeding and vets were present.
I don’t want to interfere or upset the owner but how can they get away with not caring for their such basic needs !!!

You should be able to message yourself or ask someone to message an admin who will post anon for you if there’s a horsey group nearby. Or you could message one of the smaller charities who I’m sure wouldn’t divulge where they got the info from.

 

[HollyWoozle]

I am sure World Horse Welfare will help you. I have reported horses twice and they visited on both occasions.

 

[Shilasdair]

If this has been 'going on for years,' then they are getting enough water.
If they weren't, they'd be dead.

 

[Horsekaren]

If this has been 'going on for years,' then they are getting enough water.
If they weren't, they'd be dead.

My horse would still be alive if it had water ever 4 days... doesn’t mean it’s a quality of life, it’s days of suffering! Honestly ... gasping for water isn’t a life I would choose!

 

[TPO]

Echo the advice to contact World Horse Welfare

They are far more proactive than RSPCA

 

[stormox]

Can you get near enough to do a pinch test and see if they are dehydrated? Is it possible the owner is bringing water when you aren't around?

 

[The Fuzzy Furry]

My horse would still be alive if it had water ever 4 days... doesn’t mean it’s a quality of life, it’s days of suffering! Honestly ... gasping for water isn’t a life I would choose!

Have you contacted WHW now?

 

[Horsekaren]

Can you get near enough to do a pinch test and see if they are dehydrated? Is it possible the owner is bringing water when you aren't around?

I’ve pinched them and they are dehydrated. I’ve given them each a small treat bucket of water which gets gulped. They arnt getting water when I’m not there..: they are very close and see a lot. I’ve called whw but they said to leave a message and nothing back. The last two summers I’ve caved and given them my water but I just can keep doing it. As I said above one has died ... not sure if water related but they didn’t have water when it died... one has been in very poor condition...
I’m not a busy body, I don’t want to see this. I just can’t bare to see it anymore.

 

[Dexter]

WHW wont get involved if the RSPCA have been called.

 

[The Fuzzy Furry]

I’ve pinched them and they are dehydrated. I’ve given them each a small treat bucket of water which gets gulped. They arnt getting water when I’m not there..: they are very close and see a lot. I’ve called whw but they said to leave a message and nothing back. The last two summers I’ve caved and given them my water but I just can keep doing it. As I said above one has died ... not sure if water related but they didn’t have water when it died... one has been in very poor condition...
I’m not a busy body, I don’t want to see this. I just can’t bare to see it anymore.

As I mentioned above, have you called the likes of WHW?

I'm baffled you are hand wringing over this on here, you know where they are, but haven't mentioned calling any of the specific equine agencies.

Ah, I see you have now edited your post in the last minute. Call them again.

 

[splashgirl45]

try BHS welfare as well

 

[Nudibranch]

If they are dehydrated, and this has gone on for years then as pointed out already they'd be dead.
Unless you have CCTV 24/7 how can you be sure they're not being given water? They must be.
Not ideal by any means but the fact they are alive and reasonably well rules out any intervention from welfare I suspect.

 

[PeterNatt]

I would contact the BHS Welfare Department.

BHS (British Horse Society) Tel: 0247 6840 517 24/7

WHW (World Horse Welfare) Tel: 0800 0480 180 8.00 a.m. – 5.30 p.m. Monday – Friday

RSPCA (Royal Society for the Protection of Cruelty to Animals) Tel: 0300 1234 999 24/7

 

[Widgeon]

Can you video their behaviour and the bottoms of the tubs when they are kicking at the empty butts? Obviously only if that's possible without trespassing. It may not help in the short term but at least it would be proof that they are (at least sometimes) extremely distressed by the lack of water. It might be useful some time down the line, if another one dies and the relevant authorities decide that their care is in fact unacceptable.

 

[Kaylum]

I know who they belong to but don’t know them personally. I don’t want to put all over fb as I can’t do it anonymously.

our local charity says on their website horses don’t need to be with water all the time which I understand but it just goes on for days. There was another horse in the field earlier, it died ... not sure if related to water issues. They have been removed from their care in the past.
It’s just so awful seeing them suffer but they are all fat, they don’t look like they are in Ill health. One got Ill a while back as they had no food all winter and dropped far to much weight then I see posts on fb from the owner asking how to get a laminitc horse to gain weight ... why would a laminitic horse ever be in a situation of needing to gain weight .... one reason neglect! I think that must have been reported for them to suddenly start feeding and vets were present.
I don’t want to interfere or upset the owner but how can they get away with not caring for their such basic needs !!!

Could you post a link to the horse charity that says they don't need water all the time. Have you phoned them and explained the situation and that one had died?

 

[dorsetladette]

I’ve pinched them and they are dehydrated. I’ve given them each a small treat bucket of water which gets gulped. They arnt getting water when I’m not there..: they are very close and see a lot. I’ve called whw but they said to leave a message and nothing back. The last two summers I’ve caved and given them my water but I just can keep doing it. As I said above one has died ... not sure if water related but they didn’t have water when it died... one has been in very poor condition...
I’m not a busy body, I don’t want to see this. I just can’t bare to see it anymore.

Unfortunately by 'caving' and giving them water you are helping to keep them in that/those conditions. So the RSPCA won't step in while neighbours and jo public are 'helping' to support the horses.
I've seen this happen before. Neglected ponies in a field with nothing to eat (auto water troughs) reported to the RSPCA. The people in the neighbouring field started throwing hay over to stop the ponies pushing through the fencing. RSPCA turned up and because there was evidence of hay in the ground and water they did nothing. It went on for months until something was done.

Unless you have a horse savvy RSPCA inspector your a bit stuffed in getting anything done if the animals immediate requirements are being met, even if they are sporadic.

You really have 2 choices here. suck it up and provide water consistently (telling the owner that is what you are doing) or step away so they deteriorate enough for the RSPCA to step in.

Sorry sounds blunt but alot of people get involved this way and end up being part of the problem with out realising

 

[rascal]

Do not bother with RSPCA they are useless with horses, contact WHW, Redwings, or BHS, or if it is a donkey or mule the donkey sanctctuary

 

[Kaylum]

WHW wont get involved if the RSPCA have been called.

Agencies work together these days as they pool their resources.

 

[canteron]

Try the Parish Council ..... they have no powers but it will raise awareness and therefore hopefully pressure on the owners.
Say you do t want it to be known as a village which turns a blind eye to animal neglect and cruelty.