Loose, unclaimed horses wandering around! What to do?!

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Puppy

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I was woken up by a phone call from the YO this morning. Two horses had turned up by the yard - a young coloured, quite tall, LW in build, and a very solid shetland. They were in YO's crop fields, and had clearly come up to the yard to see my girls.

The police don't want to know and say to phone the RSPCA, but of course, the RSPCA don't want to know and say to phone the police
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despite countless phone calls to various yards, we can't establish where they're from, so I'm fairly certain they belong to travelers. Only one, (the coloured), has a headcollar on.

They run off if you try to approach them, although I wasn't equipped with any food when I twas trying. By the time I'd fetched a bucket and some mix from my feed room they were virtually out of sight. At that point, and with a stinking headache that's now got me laid up in bed, I have had to give up and come home.

They are wandering loose around the fields (much to YO's disgust
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) and no doubt could do so for days as there's miles and miles of open fen around here. However, it would be pretty nasty if they got onto a road, and I'd really like to go back tomorrow for another try catching them. I was thinking about saddling up one of the girls to go look for them, but am not sure either of my horses are the best for such a job
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Maybe if there were a few of us, we could herd them, but I'm rather stuck for people to rope in....

Has anyone any genius ideas?
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(magic powers
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)

Also, if I get them in a stable/paddock, who should I then call?
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If they are from the travellers camp that I think they are (I'm fairly certain I've seen them with the shetland before) then I don't really want to hand them back
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Thanks in advance, and sorry if I don't write much sense in this thread, my head is killing me
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If there is a travellers camp site the local town hall might be able to give you a number for officer who monitors site.Sorry thats all I can think of.
 
By the looks of it, this site isn't monitored and if it's who I think it is, then I've reported them for a abuse before and nothing was done
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If you mention the travelers for officials round here they don't want to go there...

TBH, I'm more concerned with catching them before they come to harm.
 
Cheers. I have some prescription painkillers. So fed up with being in constant pain. It's been over 7 months since my accident now...
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if u think they belong to the gypsies then go down to the site and tell them where they are.

if u do catch them dont padlock them in or anything and keep all ur stuff really secure cos the pikeys will want them back probs!

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[ QUOTE ]
Cheers. I have some prescription painkillers. So fed up with being in constant pain. It's been over 7 months since my accident now...
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[/ QUOTE ]

ergh, poor you. i get migraines and they take over my life. it's hellish eh?

hope it goes away soon. xxx

p.s. whereabouts in the fens are you? i'm currently near ely on the outskirts but moving way way north into fenland soon... up near spalding.
 
hmm i dont no about england but here if a horse is found wandering and no owner can be traced they end up in the pound....i suspect its the polices actual job to deal with wandering livestock but good luck trying to get them to do it...id advise ringing the RSPCA and the Police and tell them the animals are going on the road and they might pay more attention...
 
police probably wouldn't get involved.... they'd say it was on private land and therefore a civil matter. they'd only get involved if it was on a road or something...

unless it was freeemarked and you happened to get hold of a horse-friendly policeman (eg my hubby) then they might help you out.

x
 
Have you got any local rescue places you can phone?
Im suprised the RSPCA wont have anything to do with it.
Have you got any electric fencing you can put up around them?
Or chuck a big pile of hay out if they will go for that (proberly not if theres grass!) to entise them.
Im amazed someone's just lost two horses, how can you not miss them!?
 
No, YO has been on the phone for most of the day. He is not amused
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Seriously, no one wants to know.

They are wandering miles and miles of open fields - no way can I get electric fence around them, or use hay to lure them - they're stuffing themselves
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The shetland looks fit to pop!
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Oh yes, I've seen you mention where you are now, and I'm not that far from you - a little closer to Cambridge though
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I think that the police are responsible, not the RSPCA. We had an incident locally last year when horses died on the road (and nearly a postman driving past too!). People had been in touch with the RSPCA all day, who failed to tell them that they should have been talking to the police. They just said they would deal with it. My friend made a formal complaint, and it turned out that the police had an officer who was the contact re loose horses, the RSPCA knew her name but didn't pass it on.
I'd be inclined to get back on to the police, tell them the horses are not enclosed and that they have been straying on and off the road. Tell them you are unable to catch them to make the situation safe, and be really insistent about the danger to drivers and how much fuss you will kick up if someone gets hurt.
 
the electric fencing idea should work but you cant do it single handed! need volunteers! poor little shetty will have lammi in a day or so i should think stuffing all that grass!
 
Has anyone considered that if these ponies do belong to Gypsies, the owners are probably well aware of where the ponies are and are perfectly happy to let them pig out on somebody else's grass? Now if the ponies disappeared from sight, the owners would probably be out like a shot...
 
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Oh yes, I've seen you mention where you are now, and I'm not that far from you - a little closer to Cambridge though
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in that case, it's fate... i drive to cambridge most days for work... thinking about it, i can probably work out which traveller site you mean (i work for the county council and sometimes do on site visits)... the shetty is destined to be miiiiine.....

anyway, that means you're covered by cambs police... and they won't touch it unless you say the horses are on the roads. i'd do that if i were you. or, i could see if my friend (horsey/police woman) is working tonight/tomorrow to advise/come help you?

or, i can even send my hubby to come help you catch/round up... i'm 8 months pregnant so won't be any help...

if you want any help, PM me. xxx
 
i think i'd be tempted to call the police again - dont tell them you are horsey but say you just nearly hit a couple of horses on the road, and loads of other cars were having problems also. Maybe if you call as a 'driver who is in shock' etc they might act?
 
They would have been out of sight all day today. I really can't convey what a vast area they are running loose in
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Hence why catching them seems like a pretty impossible task
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If you can catch them, last time I was up your way there were horses fitting that description (plus a load more!) on the patch of rough grassland where the golf course backs onto the CGB development lane....they may be happy there!
 
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