how do you define cruelty to horses?

Answering the original question . . . defining cruelty . . . it takes many forms:

- Over or under-rugging to suit the owner's rather the horse's needs (e.g., there's a horse at ours who is NEVER without a rug - not because he has sweet itch, or is particularly photosensitive, but because his owner likes him to be pristine . . . I see him in the field pulling at the front of his rugs (yes, plural - sometimes even when it's warm) and feel sad for him)
- Withholding veterinary, farriery or dental care for any reason (e.g., I've seen people self-diagnose a lame horse and either turn out or keep in without getting the vet out so they can move forward with a proactive and helpful plan of action)
- Not providing adequate turnout, feed, water, forage (e.g., I've seen horses stood in without hay or breakfast until late morning/early afternoon because their owners haven't been able to get to them . . . on a fairly regular basis and despite having received offers from fellow liveries to hang up a haynet/put in some feed - made up by the owner)
- Unnecessary aggression - either when being ridden or on the ground

. . . and that's just for starters . . .

P
 
Have a read of the Animal Welfare Act. Should clarify things a bit more.

The 5 freedoms are considered a section 9 offence.

If its unnecessary suffering you are after you want to read section 4.
 
Yes it is disgusting, me leaving the yard will make NO difference at all it would just mean I don't have to witness it first hand. The only way to catch her out would be to film her which tbh I hadn't thought off until reading this thread. I'm not going to assault her and end up in court, not a chance.
 
I've come across cruelty too often on yards - often due to the owners thinking they are doing the right thing.

For example - giving a pony who will be stabled for 12 hours one section of hay on the floor, that he will have eaten in an hour. Because he is 'fat'

Or not caring about the needs of the horse. I drive past a horse daily who is on his own in a small field. He has plenty of grass and water and is fed and checked on daily. But he looks so sad all of the time and looks depressed. He also always has a rug on - even in days like today when it is 20 degrees and sunny.

Things like that make me just as sad as deliberate cruelty such as neglect.
 
And just to add if someone is going to run a yard or run a show, they have responsibility to deal with people who mistreat their horses. If you can't hack doing that - don't do the job that requires it.

I reported someone at a show once who was mistreating their horse in the ring. Infront of dozens of people - all who were horrified but no one acted except me. Clearly the show organisers didn't know what to do either as they helpfully told said man that I had reported him - leading to his friends trying to intimidate me in the car park when I was on my own.

Surprisingly they were totally knocked by me going over to their lorry while they were talking loudly about punching me, and explaining why is reported them and what was wrong with what they were doing. I'm not sure they understood some of the long words I was using - but it seemed to diffuse the situation. It could however have ended differently and it should have be the organisers not me that had to deal with them!

So as others have said - those if you witnessing issues report it to the yo and insist they do something. :(
 
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