Owner won't remove horses

[montalcino]

Anyone ever had a problem getting rid of an owner and horses?
I have 9 acres of land that I currently graze 3 big horses and 1 very fat pony on.
Earlier this your this chap appeared and said he desperately need some short term grazing for his 2 broodmares
As I was strapped for cash at the time and he assured us it wouldn't be for long we let him bring his mares down, this involved him riding them at a fast trot, three miles down the road, no hat, bareback in just a headcollar with the tie from a bathrobe as leadropes with the first mare due to foal in three weeks.
This was mid April
Both mares have since foaled and he has turned out to be the biggest prat this side of the equator
Both his mares are quality mares and have both thrown super foals, one of them I asked if he would sell, answers were - never, yes, no, maybe and at the final count, for £3,000, it's a nice foal but not a £3,000 foal
Turns out he still hasn't paid his stud fee for last season so neither mare has a covering certificate, he didn't pay their vet or their farrier either.
And as for looking after them, sometimes he doesn't appear for 3 weeks, so we end up feeding them, doing their water every day and ministering their various lumps and bumps plus handling the foals. One mare gets spasmodic colic, she must have half a dozen attacks that we know of, every time we ring him up and when he does bother to turn up, he says "she looks alright to me" otherwise he turns up a couple of days later to check up on her !
With this dry summer we were having we started to struggle for grass, so at the end of June I told him I wanted them off the land by the end of July, no problem says he, then the excuses roll in, this man could lie for England.
So he now has been told, get them away by Friday, no excuses. If they are still there after that I am tempted to tell him that as he hasn't moved them that he obviously doesn't want them I shall consider them mine!
Anyone want a nice danish warmblood mare with foal at foot!! mare jumps for fun as she has shown by jumping the fence a number of times, including leaving the foal behind, foal not handled much and has not had a headcollar on but moves to die for, has been intermittently lame for the past month, don't know why as he hasn't paid the vet and they refuse to attend

Anyone with any tips for getting rid of this plonka?

 

[RunToEarth]

Ooo I will have the mare

Seriously we had big problems with a livery last year who too the p*ss. She was asked to move begining of may, she left last Aug. She was a pain, a real pain, and she had to have everything for nothing. We claimed the pony, we were stupid and never drew up any other legal contracts, but she wasnt turning up (she left them stood in stables unfed on weekly basis) and taking liberties. I started exercising her 16.2, as she was getting fat and stiff in her back legs. One day she got so p*ssed off with me riding them that she left. You will have to be forceful I am afraid, we were to the point of moving her things from the tackroom into her trailer.

 

[allijudd]

If there is a welfare/condition/neglect issue then ring the ILPH or RSPCA. But as stupid as it is, if you tend to the horses, in the eyes of the law they are receiving care and so the authorities will not act. You must do nothing to help the horses, but call the authorities asap.
By the way, have you been paid for the field?

Good luck

 

[Louby]

God what an awful situation to be in.
Has he paid you for the field? Probably of no use at all but I remember someone at a yard not paying so the YO claimed the horse as payment and sold it. Only thing I'd be worried about is any trouble he may cause if you do claim his horses. Hes obviously not bothered about the welfare of his own so Id worry that he may do something to your property or worse still your horses.
Good luck I really hope you can sort it.

 

[Moggy in Manolos]

Thats a terrible situation,some people do not deserve these beautiful animals,this guy included!
I dont know what to suggest other than to be really forceful,maybe have a chat with your local citizens advice bureau,see what they say,they are excellent for advice,good luck

 

[rach1984horse]

I would speak to your local Citizens Advice Bureau. They will be able to find out where you stand legally, and what steps you can take to get this guy to move his horses. Chances are he's after a few months free grazing from you, then will try and move further up the road again and do this to someone else.

 

[LEC]

We had a similar problem - man had his horse on grass keep and did not pay bills. We wrote him a letter explaining that he had 30 days to pay or we would sell the horse to pay this debt. We never heard any more so sold the horse to a friend for cost of money owed. Mare has been with friend for 5 years and has a lovely life and we never heard from man again.

 

[selina25]

My last yard owner had this problem (hence last year I left because of the chaos) you dont state if he has paid you upto date. If he has not then you can get your solicitor to write a letter stating you would like him to remove his horses by a certain date and also you want the payment for outstanding amount. Also you will need to state in the letter due to him not attending the horses each day you are going to charge full livery costs (you choose the cost) then if the horses are not collected by the date you state the full livery charges will start you wait a month and add the livery costs together get your solicitors to send another letter (charge about £30 a letter) stating the horse are going to auction to claim the amount outstanding the remainging amount will be sent to him if any.

If he refuses to take them away and does not turn up then you can contact the RSPCA as he is neglecting them
advise the RSPCA of the state they would be in if you didnt step in and also advise that you can no longer help

good luck what a nightmare,,,,,,,

 

[Hanz]

A friend had an owner that wouldnt budge, she eventually told her that if the horse was not gone by 5pm Friday then she would find it tied to the 5th lamp post down the road with all its stuff. She sharp got up and went.

 

[montalcino]

Hi all

Some interesting comments there, he sort of pays his bills, he tends to pay them monthly in arrears but that takes some chasing, last month he paid short although he swore blind it was all there.
I don't think he maliciuosly neglects his horses, he's just an idiot, he's one of these that thinks he knows it all but he's just a fool who knows nothing, he said he's foaled 100's of mares but if you'd seen him pull the first foal out of the mare you'd think differently, he thinks that mares that are due to foal/have foaled don't need any extra feed, due to that the warm blood mare never really did look in foal, he said it was because she was a big mare and hiding it well.
We know he is short of money but he won't come clean and admit it, I offered him a deal on the one foal to pay him some cash and let him have free livery until they are weaned, that's when he said the foal was worth £3,000
Anyway, he says they are moving tomorrow(Thurs) so watch this space
Thankyou all, keep those suggestions coming, I just like to come on here and vent my frustrations

 

[Lark]

Hmmh..one option is not to chase him at all for payment at all; see what happens and if he doesn't come up with the goods talk to a solicitor and take possession as payment. Document EVERYTHING daily.

 

[filly190]

Sounds like your man is a gypsy. A person in our village had a similar problem. Overnight they acquired 3 horses dumped on them.

The police, RSPCA etc etc could not and would not do anything because it is a private civil matter.

Be brave, tell him his horses are loaded up and you are taking them to market, and that have claimed ownership. If this does not [****] him up, arrange with a friend to hide his horses for a few days, telling him to pay the money and he can have them back.

When he comes down to see them and they have disappeared you have the upper hand. You need to regain the control and they only way to do this is the old fashioned rough and ready way, the only language he can understand.

Be brave, tackle it head on, the police cant touch you, if he calls them, remind them its a civil matter and they will back off.

Good luck