Pony tethered to a tree

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char3479

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Dear people, I've found a pony tethered to a tree by a long chain, with no food, water, grazing, shelter. Clearly owned by someone, has a padlock on its (her, I think) headcollar.
It's underweight but not emaciated, looks about 18 months, very friendly.
Welfare charities are on a break, police non-emergencies line is closed. The weather is supposed to be worsening tonight - gale force winds.
What can I do? Take it water & hay? Any knowledgable advice would be appreciated.
 
For all you know the pony may be being brought, or taken to water twice per day (which is enough - like visiting a 'watering hole' in the wild), and as the pony's condition is OK, there is no immediate cause for action. Slightly under-weight at this time of year for a native pony is no bad thing.

As tethered, she is probably being moved around to get grazing, which for a native pony needn't be a huge amount of grass, but it would be good to keep an eye on her for a few days to make sure her situation doesn't worsen.
 
char3479 said:
Dear people, I've found a pony tethered to a tree by a long chain, with no food, water, grazing, shelter. Clearly owned by someone, has a padlock on its (her, I think) headcollar.
It's underweight but not emaciated, looks about 18 months, very friendly.
Welfare charities are on a break, police non-emergencies line is closed. The weather is supposed to be worsening tonight - gale force winds.
What can I do? Take it water & hay? Any knowledgable advice would be appreciated.
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Legally, I have no idea. Morally, administer hay & water & monitor.
 
pennyturner said:
For all you know the pony may be being brought, or taken to water twice per day (which is enough - like visiting a 'watering hole' in the wild), and as the pony's condition is OK, there is no immediate cause for action. Slightly under-weight at this time of year for a native pony is no bad thing.

As tethered, she is probably being moved around to get grazing, which for a native pony needn't be a huge amount of grass, but it would be good to keep an eye on her for a few days to make sure her situation doesn't worsen.
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That's against the five freedoms though, they should have water available at all times.
 
selinas spirit said:
That's against the five freedoms though, they should have water available at all times.
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Entirely agree. I don't doubt it gets water occasionally, but that's not good enough. Nor is being attached to a chain of about 3 metres. Occasional water, no food, no friends, no shelter, no freedom to indulge in natural behaviours.
 
char3479 said:
Entirely agree. I don't doubt it gets water occasionally, but that's not good enough. Nor is being attached to a chain of about 3 metres. Occasional water, no food, no friends, no shelter, no freedom to indulge in natural behaviours.
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Who said it has no food? May well have grass. Its not how I would keep a horse, but could say the same about lots of stabled horses. Doubt you can do anything unless you can prove its not being watered or moved to new grass.
 
Can't you ask around ? See if anyone knows who it belongs to? Is it on a field, roadside?

I agree keep an eye, ensure it has water. Not sure what to suggest re storms predicted though if it had no shelter, poor thing.
 
laura_nash said:
Who said it has no food? May well have grass. Its not how I would keep a horse, but could say the same about lots of stabled horses. Doubt you can do anything unless you can prove its not being watered or moved to new grass.
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I said it has no food, in my original post. No grass, and please don't say perhaps it has hard feed, because if its tied to a tree in the middle of a field, with no water, it surely isn't getting dinner either.
 
Princess16 said:
Can't you ask around ? See if anyone knows who it belongs to? Is it on a field, roadside?

I agree keep an eye, ensure it has water. Not sure what to suggest re storms predicted though if it had no shelter, poor thing.
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I did a bit of asking around, but no one knows. It's at the far end of a ploughed up field, not near a road, but visible because it's so open. I think all I can do is check it's okay for now and wait until Tues to report it & get it (hopefully) checked.
 
02476 840517 is the BHS welfare number, the website says it gives instructions on how to get help in emergency cases out with office hours.
WHW UK Welfare Hotline on 08000 480180 is for horses in immediate need of help.

If you feel something requires to be done before Tuesday I would try one of these numbers as I assume they will have emergency cover - apologises if these are the numbers you have tried. IMO no food or water would constitute and emergency unless there are signs of hay etc having been there and so are perhaps being brought in daily with water though this certainly isn't ideal. I think in your shoes OP I would possibly take some pictures and phone WHW for advice.
 
I know it isn't ideal but I fail to see how this is worse than a horse in a stable 24/7 who's owner only visits once a day. At least it has fresh air. I'd monitor but I don't see the need to report this to authorities.
 
There are laws governing tethering, surprised the RSPCA hasn't got an emergency phone number. Advise ringing the BHS number.
 
Tethering to a tree unless it has a swivel, is very dangerous. Tethered at ground level, a horse can walk around the anchor. Tether to a tree, the horse can walk round in the same direction until the chain is tight, panic. go down and strangle.
 
EQUIDAE said:
I know it isn't ideal but I fail to see how this is worse than a horse in a stable 24/7 who's owner only visits once a day. At least it has fresh air. I'd monitor but I don't see the need to report this to authorities.
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Neither is ideal, but at least a stabled horse has shelter, which this horse doesn't.

BHS guidelines on tethering.

http://www.bhs.org.uk/~/media/bhs/f...eaflets/tethering-guide-and-poster.ashx?la=en

An extract:-

'Seeing horses tethered can be worrying and upsetting for many people. The BHS receives hundreds of concerns every year involving the welfare of tethered horses. Tethering is not illegal, but it is essential the horse owner provides for the welfare needs of the tethered horse.
Ideally, all horses should have access to clean, fresh drinking water at all times. However, some owners of tethered horses do not leave water on site permanently as the buckets may be knocked over, stolen or thrown away. If this method of management is adopted, water must be offered at regular intervals throughout the day.
Providing it just once or twice is not adequate. It is far more preferable to use a tyre to secure the water bucket than offer water sporadically.
Many horses will thrive on a diet consisting of only grass, but it is vital that tethered horses are moved regularly to ensure a constant supply of fresh food. During the winter months, or any other time when grass is scarce, additional hay will need to be provided'.
 
stormox said:
Tethering to a tree unless it has a swivel, is very dangerous. Tethered at ground level, a horse can walk around the anchor. Tether to a tree, the horse can walk round in the same direction until the chain is tight, panic. go down and strangle.
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Exactly this ^. Swivels connected to both ends are advised.
 
stormox said:
Tethering to a tree unless it has a swivel, is very dangerous. Tethered at ground level, a horse can walk around the anchor. Tether to a tree, the horse can walk round in the same direction until the chain is tight, panic. go down and strangle.
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This is all too true. A good friend of mine found a youngster last year, nearly dead after winding itself so tightly round a tree it was strangling itself. She was alone with her dog and, fortunately, her phone. Except no one wanted to know. The pony was panicking and, therefore, quite dangerous. Eventually another dog walker appeared and between them they got in there, at great personal risk, and freed the pony with no option but to let it go (Welsh hills so no danger to traffic) The RSPCA etc etc never did answer her calls.. for all they cared it could still be there today...
 
respectedpony said:
Why not Hillside?
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Maybe I was a bit harsh, but they have a reputation of being animal hoarders. On their own website, they state:-

'Hillside is home to 1400 Rescued Horses, Ponies and Donkeys, 300 Rescued Cows, 600 Sheep and Goats, 200 Pigs and lots of other rescued animals including many deer.'

They do not seem to attempt to re home any of their rescues.
 
I'm from the NE. Tethered horses in not great condition are everywhere sadly :( However the only time one was spotted tied to a tree it had been stolen from a local livery yard, hammered about, then tied up when they got fed up. Report it to the police just in case, but other than that you havent got a snowballs chance in hell of getting anything done, especially not over a bank holiday weekend!
 
Ladyinred said:
This is all too true. A good friend of mine found a youngster last year, nearly dead after winding itself so tightly round a tree it was strangling itself. She was alone with her dog and, fortunately, her phone. Except no one wanted to know. The pony was panicking and, therefore, quite dangerous. Eventually another dog walker appeared and between them they got in there, at great personal risk, and freed the pony with no option but to let it go (Welsh hills so no danger to traffic) The RSPCA etc etc never did answer her calls.. for all they cared it could still be there today...
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That's terrible. Thank god your friend found the poor thing. How frustrating that no-one would help.
 
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