I feel REALLY sick - how people can change....

Bounty

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A few years ago I was good friends with a lad from 'oop North. He ADORED his horses, to the point of worshipping them. They were always fit and healthy, and performed well.
We stopped moving in the same circles so I lost touch with him, and seeing as he lives hours away, I hadn't heard anything about him through the jungle drums either.

Opened the H&H today to read that he has STARVED his beloved Sunshine to death, and has been convicted of cruelty/neglect to various other horses.

I feel so sick - the Liam I knew would never have done that, and I feel utterly scared that I wouldn't have given it a second thought to leave one/any of my horses in his care.

So PLEASE people, if you have horses out on loan that you haven't seen/heard of for a while, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE check up on them. It seems that no one is who you think they are anymore.
Not sure what else to say........
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Donkeymad

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It really is dreadful when someone you trusted lets their horse - and you - down in such an evil way.
 

Bounty

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Shock is an understatement - I really want to hate him for what he's done (I obviously do hate what he has done), but the rational side of me is just really worried about him. The lad I knew just really wouldn't have done it, he was such a softie.....

I knew him for years... so it's not even as though I made a snap judgement of him, that is what is upsetting me the most. I feel betrayed? A really insignificant feeling compared to what poor Sunshine went through
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Article
 

longtalltilly

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OMG that is so sad, have just read the article.

I know it is truley truley awful and no excuse but there has to be a reason (im sure he didnt do this with any malice....did he?) why this man, who you have already stated as a horse lover. Worshipping the ground they walked on. did this!

I know its a long shot and I AM NOT sticking up for him but maybe he left them in the care of someone else and they were the ones who inadequatly cared for these poor poor horses.

Im not saying you should forgive him and I appreciate the fact that you hate him for what he did to those poor horses but I think you also need to give him a chance and maybe find out what has really happened, after all yes he has been charged, yes he has been sent to prison but im sure we are all aware that journalists deviate from the truth slightly even if they dont mean to!
 

Flame_

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That is so sad. Not that it makes it OK, but could he be ill or mentally ill? Most people would just not change like that if they are aware of right from wrong. Poor horse.
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checkmate1

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That is so terribly Sad, must have been something very serious to cause him to neglect the horse so badly..not that that would ever be a defence.
 

bhpride

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Poor Sunshine
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It does make me wonder how he changed from doing so well care wise etc to starving her??? Perhaps there were really serious family problems, you can't be sure. It just sounds so unusual doesn't it and so sad
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bhpride

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[ QUOTE ]
OMG that is so sad, have just read the article.

I know it is truley truley awful and no excuse but there has to be a reason (im sure he didnt do this with any malice....did he?) why this man, who you have already stated as a horse lover. Worshipping the ground they walked on. did this!

I know its a long shot and I AM NOT sticking up for him but maybe he left them in the care of someone else and they were the ones who inadequatly cared for these poor poor horses.

Im not saying you should forgive him and I appreciate the fact that you hate him for what he did to those poor horses but I think you also need to give him a chance and maybe find out what has really happened, after all yes he has been charged, yes he has been sent to prison but im sure we are all aware that journalists deviate from the truth slightly even if they dont mean to!

[/ QUOTE ]

Second what ziggins said
 

Bounty

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I think he must be ill - I just can't believe this is the same person. If it weren't for the photos (poor Sunshine has her pic in the H&H article as well) I would probably be tempted to think it wasn't actually him.

I just can't get my head around why he didn't get in touch with any of us; he was a really popular guy and any of us would have helped him out. Why didn't he ask for help? Why didn't he own up to Sunshine when he was being charged for the other horses 3 months earlier?
I might try and get in touch with him, something in his life has gone seriously wrong since we last spoke
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Ziggins - I think you misunderstood my 2nd post - I don't/can't hate him for this, even if what he did was so disgusting. I'm just worried
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dozzie

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The Liam you knew cared passionately about his horses.

From what I have read about the RSPCA tactics, it was RSPCA vets that dealt with Sunshine, I would be very sceptical about the press release.

The article says the horse had been neglected for 2-3 weeks. Not really long enough to become emaciated surely

It also state thet the two female vets were RSPCA vets. The RSPCA vets put the horse down. Nothing new there either. That is what they do.

No water for 2 to 3 weeks? Surely the horse would have been dead by the time the RSPCA visited.

Rubbish in the paddock? The RSPCA have been known, on this forum, to ignore it and a foal died as a result. No action was taken by the RSPCA.

If I was you I would continue to believe what you know about your friend.

http://the-shg.org/

Read this (It takes a while!) and you will begin to question the press release against what you know about your friend.

I wonder if your friend knew about this group?

Dont feel betrayed by him as you only know what the press and RSPCA have chosen to report. And it isnt necessarily the truth.

Hope that helps a bit.
 

Eaglestone

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dozziesmummy ... I was very sceptical about the article and when I saw your post I must admit I had the same thoughts and feelings that you have put over.

As you can see I am not a fan of the RSPCA ..... Mmmm I live right next door to their Headquarters and that alone tells me where their money goes
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To the original poster, I would question alot about this article and keep in mind your original opinion of your friend ...

Sorry if any of my thoughts offend anyone
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Bounty

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I have skim read through that link DM, and will go back and wade through it properly later on.
This is just so bizarre - my initial wave of sickness from the shock of reading it (I just sat down for a flick through H&H while I had a quick cuppa and certainly wasn't expecting to read anything like that) has subsided and now I just feel confused? I have so many questions flying around in my head.
 

Jellicle

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Last year there was a thread on HHO about my great uncle, who was convicted of horse cruelty. I didn't get involved on the thread because there was no point, but often these cases are more complex than meets the eye. My great uncle certainly never harmed a horse on purpose, he loved his horses more than anything. I think it was more that he just ran out of money and didn't ask for help when he should have done. Anyway, just to say don't judge the case too much before you hear from your friend.
 

longtalltilly

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Sorry I did take it the wrong way, but didnt mean to! and I was always aware that you were deeply concerned for him. I appreciate how you feel and understand how worried you must be for your friend! Maybe he didnt know how to ask for help! Like others have mentioned... dont believe what the articles say about him as they are liable to be full of lies and malice just to make a good story!

2-3 weeks really isnt long...Yes I appreciate it is an exceptionally long time for a horse to be without food or water but not long for things to spiral out of control in reguards to mental well being!

Without knowing the correct facts it is hard to get a bigger picture into what went wrong.

It may be a good idea for you to contact him, he may respond well in knowing that you dont hate HIM for what he did but you Hate WHAT he did, Im sure he is feeling pretty low right now and could do with a familar horsey friend!
 

Daisychain

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Basically, there is absolutely no excuse for how he has let thease animals suffer, all i can think of to make him change in such a significant way is possible drug/alcohol abuse.
 

longtalltilly

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Daisychain there is no excuse that makes it ok but there is absoloutly no need for that, not everyone that goes off the rails and has problems is a result of drug or alcohol abuse!
 

loucob

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The article didn't say the horse had been neglected for 2 to 3 weeks, it said she had suffered for 2 to 3 weeks. He and his mother had also recently been prosecuted for the neglect of another horse.

Whatever the reason behind it, he has pleaded guilty to causing uneccessary suffering to Sunshine, and to Misty previously. No excuse.

Finally, i have absolutely no time for the RSPCA and have first hand knowledge of their "protection" of animals, but i would hope that no vet, regardless of who they worked for, would put an animal to sleep if they believed they could save it. Particularly in a case like this, where the RSPCA would have got a bit more free publicity!
 

fatpiggy

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I knew a farmer who was prosecuted for animal neglect and cruelty a few years ago. I couldn't believe it as I'd known him VERY well for years before, and he was a man who prided himself in the condition of his cattle, and had names for many of them. Personally, I think he'd had a sort of break-down and just couldn't cope with his life, let alone livestock, any more.
 
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