Is this acceptable?

[Birker2020]

Is it acceptable to keep a 6 month old newly weaned foal on a livery yard in a stable on it's own where it can't see any other horses (it can hear them). Owner visits once and day and takes it for a short walk and grazing in hand with no turn out. The stable is large in relation to the foal.

Opinions please.

No. No. No. No. No.

 

[Sealine]

Thanks for your replies and confirming that I’m not over reacting in my concern for the foal. I can’t stand by and let this situation continue.

 

[AmyMay]

Absolutely nothing to do with trading standards or licensing, neither will be of help.

A Council Animal Welfare Officer would certainly be happy to have a friendly word. I know ours would. It obviously has nothing to do with Trading Standards.

 

[Widgeon]

Call WHW. It’s absolutely appalling treatment.

I was going to suggest WHF too.

 

[AdorableAlice]

A Council Animal Welfare Officer would certainly be happy to have a friendly word. I know ours would. It obviously has nothing to do with Trading Standards.

What is a council animal welfare officer. Trading standards officers do a lot of work with farm animals not domestic. Dog warden deals with dog and licensing officers deal with animal activities requiring a licence. EHO deal with pests. The way the foal is being kept has absolutely nothing to do with the local authority.

 

[pistolpete]

World Horse Welfare helped when I reported a lame pony in a field however they did nothing when I reported a horse that had been on box rest for a year! No injuries just kept in all the time. They said his needs were met. That was ten years ago. I hope things have changed. Please keep us informed. Yard owner has duty of care too?

 

[shanti]

Why are people so damn stupid! Poor little thing is going to develop so many vices and that can't be any good for his physical development either

 

[saddlesore]

Actively cruel. I agree with reporting asap. The wee one doesn’t deserve this at all and it will set them up very poorly for a happy future

 

[Barton Bounty]

Nope a Foal shouldn’t be kept like that. any horse under the age of 4 doesn’t belongs in a livery yard as they needs aren’t meet and they don’t have a proper upbringing .

My horse is under 4 … what should I do? Oh no?????

 

[Goldenstar]

I've been told it's already been reported to BHS Welfare and it's not neglect so there is nothing they can do. I'll try WHW.

The owner believes 'it's happy' and 'it's quiet because it's Dad was'. He looks a bit shut down and depressed to me. I have a little experience of foals and youngsters and for their physical and mental development I believe foals should be out 24/7 with at least one other youngster and a quiet older horses and left to be a baby.

I am surprised the BHS did not visit and advise I certainly would have done .

 

[LEC]

Thanks. Just sanity checking my own thoughts on this situation. Livery yard owner is non-horsey and thinks it's ok because apparently the breeder says it's ok. The breeder gave the foal away. We've tried to talk to the owner and the yard owner but apparently we are out of order and it's none of our business. I'm so upset about the poor little thing. It's been there a few weeks now with no plan to change anything.

Don’t worry it will have chronic ulcers by now, be a completely useless horse going forwards as will lack any social skills and be awful to deal with and be lame by 5 as won’t have correct muscle structure or bone density developed. That’s if it makes it to 5…..

 

[Frano]

Apart from it being an awful way to treat a foal. Why would anyone pay livery to keep a foal like this. Is it injured? How long has it been there? When was it weaned? The foal was free, but it’s a very expensive way to care for a foal? What is their reasoning for keeping it this way.

 

[Goldenstar]

Apart from it being an awful way to treat a foal. Why would anyone pay livery to keep a foal like this. Is it injured? How long has it been there? When was it weaned? The foal was free, but it’s a very expensive way to care for a foal? What is their reasoning for keeping it this way.

All excellent questions .

 

[meleeka]

I think those assuming the welfare agencies would do anything are mistaken. The sad fact is there’s so many horses suffering that they just don’t have the manpower to get to everyone. If the horse has food and water, they don’t consider it a welfare case.

There was a horse near me that had been kept in a small stable in a garden, for over 10 years, with no company and no exercise. Because it was in good bodily condition and fed twice a day, nothing could be done. I think one of them visited and the owner claimed he took him out for exercise, so they didn’t do anything further. The sad thing is, the horse had shoes on, so a farrier must have been attending and seen no wear on the shoes each time. Im not sure if it’s even still there

 

[Gallop_Away]

Not in a million years! Poor baby honestly why people buy youngsters without the proper set up I'll never understand. Babies should be with other babies (and the odd older calm horse to keep them in check) and left alone as much as possible to just be horses.

 

[Sealine]

Apart from it being an awful way to treat a foal. Why would anyone pay livery to keep a foal like this. Is it injured? How long has it been there? When was it weaned? The foal was free, but it’s a very expensive way to care for a foal? What is their reasoning for keeping it this way.

It's DIY livery which is pretty cheap for the area. £26 a week. The foal isn't injured. It's been here three weeks and I believe it was weaned just before it arrived. It didn't eat for the first two days it was here. There is no plan to change the way this foal is being kept. There is no reasoning on why it's being kept this way that I'm aware of. When questioned we're told 'the breeder says it's ok'. What type of breeder thinks it's OK? In my opinion it is NOT ok.

 

[Apercrumbie]

That poor baby. Think these owners have pretty much guaranteed a horse with separation anxiety when it grows up. I really hope you find someone to help OP.

 

[cauda equina]

What type of breeder thinks it's ok?
Sounds like a breeder who puts profit before anything else - they obviously deem the foal to be worthless as they gave it away and probably would have said anything to get shot of it

 

[FinnishLapphund]

I've been told it's already been reported to BHS Welfare and it's not neglect so there is nothing they can do. I'll try WHW.
...

"Been told it's already been reported" sounds a bit too vague for my liking, I would want to know that person X have already reported it. Besides, even if someone else already have reported it, maybe if a 2nd person also tried, they might get to talk to another person, sort of like that sometimes it matters which doctor you get to see.
Either way, I hope you find someone that can talk some sense into both the owner, and YO.

 

[Sealine]

I've had confirmation this morning that it's definitely been reported to the BHS by a professional who was visiting the yard. I have also reported this to BHS. WHW next and I've found contact details for council animal welfare team.

'We have an Animal Welfare team who can assist with any concerns relating to neglect or abuse of any animal, including dogs, cats, horses, small household pets, exotics and wildlife. Any concerns for the welfare of an animal can be reported directly to the team.'

 

[MagicMelon]

Id 100% report to BHS or RSPCA or local welfare / rescue place if they do visits. Sounds so terribly sad. Surely the YO can say something?

 

[AmyMay]

I've had confirmation this morning that it's definitely been reported to the BHS by a professional who was visiting the yard. I have also reported this to BHS. WHW next and I've found contact details for council animal welfare team.

'We have an Animal Welfare team who can assist with any concerns relating to neglect or abuse of any animal, including dogs, cats, horses, small household pets, exotics and wildlife. Any concerns for the welfare of an animal can be reported directly to the team.'

As I said above. Our Council Animal Welfare Officer was very proactive. Fingers crossed you (the foal) can get some help.

 

[toppedoff]

My horse is under 4 … what should I do? Oh no?????

Careful, he's not gonna have a proper upbringing and will demand more food when he sues you for not meeting his needs

 

[southerncomfort]

These threads really upset me.

I can't believe people do things like this and find any number of ways to justify it.

 

[Barton Bounty]

Careful, he's not gonna have a proper upbringing and will demand more food when he sues you for not meeting his needs

Woopsie! All you can eat buffet not good enough?

 

[cornbrodolly]

NO
Our 6 month old foal, recently gelded will remain with his mum and herd over the winter. He is so settled we can take mum away , and he s fine . Early weaning is not good.

 

[Burnerbee]

OP - any news on this?

I love (?) how the owner says the breeder says it’s okay - makes them sound so important - a ‘breeder’ can just be someone that’s allowed a stallion get too close to a mare!

 

[AmyMay]

Yes an update would certainly be interesting.

 

[PeterNatt]

I would most certainly not believe it has been reported to the BHS as under the current Welfare Legislation its needs are most certainly not being met.

 

[Sealine]

I didn’t post an update at the time as the situation got very heated. BHS couldn’t help as they didn’t have anyone covering the area so I contacted WHW who contacted the yard owner. Yard owner was absolutely furious and put up a notice to say that if they found out who reported it the person would be thrown out with no notice. The good news is the foal now has daily turn out in a herd thanks to WHW