Tethered ponies/horses

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TheShark

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Just wondering if you guys would report a tethered horse or pony as a matter of course, or just if it was looking poor?

One has appeared near me. It doesn't look unhealthy and has water. I just feel sorry for them not being able to run around or have any friends to play with.

Any views or advice would be appreciated.
 
If the pony is being cared for, has a supply of water, is being checked and has grass and/or hay then I wouldn't report it. Tethering is not in itself a welfare issue normally. It isn't ideal but if the animal is being looked after the welfare agencies are unlikely to do anything.
 
No. Personal feelings to tethering don't really come into it....if it's in good condition, has grass and water and is on a 'spinny' tether...then there's no real welfare case to report.
 
I don't have much of a problem with it, if the horse is being looked after, doesn't have rub marks from the chain and has water.
 
TBH I think we are generally a bit funny about this for 'snobbery' type reasons. Personally I'm not sure I'd rather see a horse kept in a stable all day than tethered where at least it gets daylight and can graze. We certainly don't think to report all stabled competition horses for example.

I'm a total bunny hugger and would rather they were turned out, preferably with suitable with company. But I know it won't always happen and there are many worse things to worry about.

Always a bit worried about the entanglement potential but then I caught my totally lovely livery yard turning horses out in ordinary head collars the other day so...
 
I know someone who tethers their horse as they cant catch it if it isnt. It was well cared for and loved and always had fresh water and grass/ hay. As long as the horse is well cared for then I dont see a problem.
 
im now tethering my mare as nothing else is keeping her in & wee live too close to a main road to risk it. she has s far broken through post & 3 rail, electric tape, electric rope, learned to canter in hobbles & her final escape triumph was to smash her way out of the pen created using Heras panels (she simply removed the mesh bit from the frame after battering it with her feet for an hour or more).

no choice now its that or she gets herself killed!
 
Of course not. Personally liking or disliking the tethering does not mean that the horse/pony is not well cared for and loved.
 
Tethering does seem to provoke strong reactions but as others have said, unless there is an existing welfare issue or risk of entanglement then I don't see a massive problem. It's not ideal but then I don't particularly agree with stabling for a lot of horses, and tethering is no worse. I had to do it as a temporary measure with two of the lami ponies when the water company had to replace some pipes and ripped out a boundary fence. But they were in full view of the house at all times and checked constantly. I don't think I would dare do it if they were out of sight.
 
Thanks for everyone's feedback on this. Had a feeling this was the case but it is good to geed the views of more experience people.

Cheers
 
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