Is this a welfare issue or not?

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popsicle

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For weeks now we regularly ride past a field where we see 2 small paddocks, One with a pony living out with a rug on and next to it another pony who is ALWAYS in the stable (facing away from the other pony, so no contact). Now obviously we don't ride past every day, but a couple of times a week and always in the daytime and one pony is always in the stable. It had been bothering me and I felt i needed to check what condition the pony and the stable were in as we were only looking at it through a hedge over a ditch. So today we walked over to the stable and found that the pony is a foal and the stable is spotless as are the paddocks, it has water and hay and has a stable rug on. (Obviously someone is regularly visiting). But I'm still concerned that this foal APPEARS to be in there 24/7 with no contact with the other pony in the paddock behind. Should I just keep my nose out or what?
 
There could be any number of reasons the pony might be in, it could be on box rest, or just be out at night, any number of reasons.

Unless the foal is seriously obese, has obvious medical conditions that have been left untreated or is skinny and not provided with food or water no action is likely to be taken.

Although keeping a foal in isolation isn't ideal I don't really think this is a welfare case atm.
 
I agree with tabitha. Its not great welfare, agreed but in terms of rspca, etc they wouldnt be interested. The foal is in a clean stable with food and water, i wouldnt keep it in 24/7 myself but not much you can do about it.
 
Having tried to get a stabled horse released for years (and by stabled, I mean top door locked in 30+ degree heat, no clean bedding and mare grazing outside (it was a stallion, and the bloke had two blocks of land so could have moved mare and turned stallion out!!) I can tell you now, if they have food and water, no one will listen.

Apparently the need for horses to socialise and graze isn't covered by any welfare act (even the five freedoms that covers farm animals - The Freedom to express natural behaviour!). No one would help you even if there was a problem.

Sorry!
 
I'd say keep your nose out. It is obviously being cared for, and you have no idea the reason it is kept in.
 
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If you only ride by 3 days a week, what could you know what goes on. If I found somebody snooping round round my stables I'd be bloody furious. Just like you would be!!!

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I understand your point, but on the other hand I would like to think that as in Child Protection, someone being "nosy" might just save an individual from a hellish life. If I had looked and the foal was being starved and kept knee high in poo! "Keep being nosy I say" and if it saves just one horse, but upsets some owners then "tough"
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you were surely trespassing by going onto the land. I would have been fuming to find out someone had been poking there nose into my horses!
 
You say the horse has water, hay and a rug on. You don't know whether it is turned out at night, whether there is a medical reason that it can't be turned out ATM, could be any reason. My YO keeps one of her horses in quite a bit over winter, he's happy with it because he flat refuses to go out if he considers it to be too cold or if it's raining. The horse is happy, healthy, fed, watered and warm so who is anyone else to judge?
 
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
If you only ride by 3 days a week, what could you know what goes on. If I found somebody snooping round round my stables I'd be bloody furious. Just like you would be!!!

[/ QUOTE ]

I understand your point, but on the other hand I would like to think that as in Child Protection, someone being "nosy" might just save an individual from a hellish life. If I had looked and the foal was being starved and kept knee high in poo! "Keep being nosy I say" and if it saves just one horse, but upsets some owners then "tough"
blush.gif


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Yep I agree with you on this.
 
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