Would you report and who to? Horse on own for over 6 months

Just making a point amymay, not being snide at all. Tbh rspca probably wouldn't even be bothered anyway.

I completely agree with scrunchie & maesfen.
 
Lol AM! No, I wasn't accusing YOU of being fluffy, heaven forbid!

OP said herself, horse was in good condition it just looked sad; that certainly is not a cause to report it though, but it's certainly a fluffy attitude to have, it's not a realistic one. Go to any market to see desperately sad animals that have little hope and even then try to get the authorities to take a stand; they don't even act on the 5 freedoms themselves, what chance does a solitary horse in a field that is in good condition but looks sad have?
 
amymay said:
Part of the '5 Freedoms', as published by the RSPCA, specifies that:

4. Freedom to behave normally - by making sure animals have enough space, proper facilities and the company of other animals of their own kind.

5. Freedom from fear and distress - by making sure their conditions and treatment avoid mental suffering

It would seem to me, OP, that none of the above have been provided for the horse you are talking about in this thread.

I would therefore report your concerns to the RSPCA.
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So does the RSPCA have double-standards then... because that certainly doesn't apply to some of the very high level, expensive horses... and I don't see the RSPCA going into those establishments any time soon.
 
tasel said:
So does the RSPCA have double-standards then... because that certainly doesn't apply to some of the very high level, expensive horses... and I don't see the RSPCA going into those establishments any time soon.
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Oh, I'm very sure they do.

Interesting little story actually.

I rescued an injured pheasant the other day from outside my office (middle of the city centre, so heaven knows what it was doing there). A colleague phoned the RSPCA who I felt sure wouldn't come out, because it was a bird. Well suprisingly they did.

I told the inspector how suprised I was that they had come to collect the bird, especially as last year when I had exactly the same situation with an extremely ill and emaciated fox, they weren't interested.

Her response was that they should attend to any animal reported in distress - but a successful call was usually down to who was on the other end of the phone!
 
I dont think you should phone the RSPCA, if the pony is well looked after apart from being alone, then they wont do anything anyway!

I was offered a Shetland a few months ago for my grandaughter, but i havent taken up the offer yet because at this time of the year it would have to be on its own, and unless i have no choice i wouldnt choose this, for a pony for more than short periods of time.
I know some keep a lone pony with another animal, sheep, goats cows, and i think this is fine, at least they have some company.
Every persons situation is different, and i dont think you can shout cruelty until you know what it is!
 
amymay said:
Oh, I'm very sure they do.

Interesting little story actually.

I rescued an injured pheasant the other day from outside my office (middle of the city centre, so heaven knows what it was doing there). A colleague phoned the RSPCA who I felt sure wouldn't come out, because it was a bird. Well suprisingly they did.

I told the inspector how suprised I was that they had come to collect the bird, especially as last year when I had exactly the same situation with an extremely ill and emaciated fox, they weren't interested.

Her response was that they should attend to any animal reported in distress - but a successful call was usually down to who was on the other end of the phone!
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And yet when I reported a neighbour who was keeping a shetland pony tethered in her back yard (a small concreted one) for over a week they didn't even bother to inspect it, saying that some ponies are used to being tethered and there was no immediate danger to the pony. :rolleyes:

Pony was moved thanks to the local council.
 
My friends mare was kept on her own for over six months at one point. It certainly didn't mean she wasn't loved and cared for because she was, yes it's not ideal but life isn't always I'm afraid!!
 
Oh and good luck phoning the RSPCA, in my experience they're not really interested unless there's a TV camera.

Just to add that if the horse is in good condition and well cared for please don't worry. Ours look miserable at this time of year when they're resting yet there are three of them and all have plenty to eat and TLC xx
 
Black Beastie said:
ITs none of your business OP if the horse is on its own or not, I kept my gelding on his own for 4/5 years and he was fine.

Hes on his own right now as my mare is elsewhere and hes absolutely fine. Its nobodies business how people keep their horses unless there is obvious suffering of harm going on.
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Black Beastie said:
Whos to say its distressed?? Is it sweating?? Neighing?? Galloping nonstop up and down the fence???

I havent seen any of these references in the thread. So it trotted down the fenceline, my horse follwed my car as it went round his field line at the last place as he knew It meant food, as well as the tractors as they stopped and shared lunch with him.

He still follows the trailer down the fenceline whether my mare is there or not as he LOVES getting out and about. So would you call the RSPCA on that?? Dont think so. Doubtless the RSPCA will do anything anyroads, its got water, grass/feed, in good nick and not in pain so if not ticking all those neglect boxes they have no power.
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I agree OP stop putting your nose in where its not wanted. I hope someone reports you one day.
NO HARM IN A HORSE/PONY BEING KEPT ON ITS OWN (BEEN HAPPENING FOR YEARS) if anything happened to one of mine ,the other one left over will be alone.Thats life,it would have to get used to it and theres no law to say you cant keep it on its own.
Geez you said the animal is healthy.
Mind your own buisiness OP.
 
amymay said:
Part of the '5 Freedoms', as published by the RSPCA, specifies that:

4. Freedom to behave normally - by making sure animals have enough space, proper facilities and the company of other animals of their own kind.
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So teh RSPCA will pay the legal fees and vet bills when I turn my horse out with others then? :rolleyes:

scrunchie said:
And yet when I reported a neighbour who was keeping a shetland pony tethered in her back yard (a small concreted one) for over a week they didn't even bother to inspect it, saying that some ponies are used to being tethered and there was no immediate danger to the pony. :rolleyes:

Pony was moved thanks to the local council.
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Wasnt in a village/town near Tewkesbury was it by any chance?
 
Its a hard one really, cause if the horse doesnt look happy then you start to wonder if theirs something else wrong, and by what the rspca's 5 freedoms say, you would think they would want to talk to an owner to find out a reason why the horses is kept on its own, but on the other hand, you get horses like mine, who dont look happy when on their own for the first sort of twenty minutes and then couldnt care less as long as they have food, next year when i go to uni, taz will be living in a field with ten sheep, so the way that the 5 freedoms go it would be cruel because he wouldnt be living with animals of his own kind, its a tough one as it is just a group of people opinion on whether it is cruel or not
 
Ideally all the 5 freedoms would be followed. But sometimes the company one is not possible and sometimes (eg quarantine, gap when companion dies or riggy gelding or stallion, it isnt possible).

The welfare code is advisory, and how to be a 'good' owner. If an abuse/neglect case came to court, failure to follow each of the clauses can be used as evidence to back up the key claims relating to neglect/abuse, but lack of company in itself is highly unlikely to be the reason for bringing a case.

I do think we have to be careful in leaping to report otherwise well cared for horses to RSPCA since it can result in several unintended consequences!

(i) RSPCA time tied up in these more minor 'not ideal conditions' reports and less able to deal with more serious cases of abuse, starvation and neglect
(ii) owners of single horses are afraid to turn out their horses for fear of being reported and the horses spend all their time hidden away in stables.

The description given of the horses behaviour also does not in itself suggest the horse is being neglected or deprived by the lack of company, since many horses can at times display the behaviour described even tho they are perfectly content.

I believe that a well cared for horse living by itself is not ideal but not in itself a welfare issue. Why not try to get to know the owner and find out what the reason is for the horse being alone? Then you could suggest adopting a loan companion from world horse welfare but it would be coming from a friend, not an interfering stranger.

I do think there are massively more neglected horses out there which we should be concentrating and forcing RSPCA to focus on first.
 
tasel said:
Just think about it, if you'd report this horse, you'd have to also report half of the horses that will be participating in the 2012 Olympics. I doubt many of them get turned out, or - if they do - would get turned out with other horses (because if another horse kicks that £1,000,000 horse...)
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Luckily not everyone thinks this way :)
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Not Olympic horses I know, but I doubt anyone on here could afford them!

sharon1959 said:
I hope someone reports you one day.
NO HARM IN A HORSE/PONY BEING KEPT ON ITS OWN (BEEN HAPPENING FOR YEARS)
Mind your own buisiness OP.
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Seriously, it would make you happy for some random person to be reported? Weird and unpleasant sentiment IMO :(
Just because it's been happening for years, doesn't make it right!
 
rhino said:
Luckily not everyone thinks this way :)
11841.jpg

Not Olympic horses I know, but I doubt anyone on here could afford them!



Seriously, it would make you happy for some random person to be reported? Weird and unpleasant sentiment IMO :(
Just because it's been happening for years, doesn't make it right!
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Luckily for me both mine came from the same woman BUT if something happened to cobblet my section A would be kept on her own as she doesnt like other animals especially sheep[ and dogs.She doesnt like my cobblet much either,she just tolerates him. Id rather her be on her own that for me to end up with a vet bill for her kicking someone elses animal.Shes already kicked a dog in the head!!!!!
 
Yes, horses are herd animals and usually prefer to be in company, but this isn't always possible and most horses do OK. There are numerous studies of feral and wild horses which cite "loner" horses living apart from a herd. Dogs are pack animals, yet people often have just one dog, anybody feel like reporting that to the RSPCA?
 
soulfull said:
If he looks well and is cared for, it is nothing to do with anyone else other than the owner

we do not know if the horse hates company or is in fact dangerous to other horses or animals!!

maybe owner cannot afford another horse, even farrier, yearly jabs etc adds up, again nothing to do with anyone else
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I so agree with this. To be honest, I cannot see what there is TO report. What is this world coming to?? I assume horse is healthy and well fed, what is the problem???
 
amymay said:
I think we may be getting different vibes off the original post.

The horse doesn't sound happy - and if anyone ever has any concern about any animal then a call to the RSPCA is not remiss. It's what they're there for.
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But then we are quite likely to see an irate thread on here on Monday saying some nobber reported my perfectly healthy horse to the RSPCA and they turned up and asked me lots of stupid questions! I completely agree that keeping a horse on its own is less than ideal, but thousands are kept that way and survive perfectly well. My mare spends hours dozing on her feet in the field - anyone looking at her would think there must be something wrong and she is depressed or ill (because she isn't grazing), but she isn't either, just elderly and full of barbituates which would make anyone sleepy. Likewise she often waits patiently at the gate for an hour or more in the evenings. There isn't anything wrong, there is still quite a bit of grass and she has company in various forms but she is waiting to come in for a yummy tea and a nice lie down on a dry bed.

If you want to see real cruelty, come and see the little pony on my place - having spent the summer out on very rich grazing (but not putting on weight, something wrong there?) the owner has decided it is at risk of laminitis and locked it alone in a stable 24/7. She doesn't muck out, just dumps a bit more bedding on top of all the filth. The pony already has a long history of not seeing a farrier more frequently than 6 monthly and it walks like a tin soldier at the best of times. Now it isn't getting any exercise it is totally crippled and can barely put one foot in front of the other. I haven't looked at its feet, but it wouldn't surprise me if its soles are bulging. The previously hugely long toes have clearly affected its tendons, hence the funny gait. It seems to be down most of the time. Poor little soul, is that a life?
 
fatpiggy said:
If you want to see real cruelty, come and see the little pony on my place - having spent the summer out on very rich grazing (but not putting on weight, something wrong there?) the owner has decided it is at risk of laminitis and locked it alone in a stable 24/7. She doesn't muck out, just dumps a bit more bedding on top of all the filth. The pony already has a long history of not seeing a farrier more frequently than 6 monthly and it walks like a tin soldier at the best of times. Now it isn't getting any exercise it is totally crippled and can barely put one foot in front of the other. I haven't looked at its feet, but it wouldn't surprise me if its soles are bulging. The previously hugely long toes have clearly affected its tendons, hence the funny gait. It seems to be down most of the time. Poor little soul, is that a life?
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Have you reported this? If not, I urge you to do so!
 
fatpiggy said:
If you want to see real cruelty, come and see the little pony on my place - having spent the summer out on very rich grazing (but not putting on weight, something wrong there?) the owner has decided it is at risk of laminitis and locked it alone in a stable 24/7. She doesn't muck out, just dumps a bit more bedding on top of all the filth. The pony already has a long history of not seeing a farrier more frequently than 6 monthly and it walks like a tin soldier at the best of times. Now it isn't getting any exercise it is totally crippled and can barely put one foot in front of the other. I haven't looked at its feet, but it wouldn't surprise me if its soles are bulging. The previously hugely long toes have clearly affected its tendons, hence the funny gait. It seems to be down most of the time. Poor little soul, is that a life?
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Cruelty takes many forms Fatpiggy.

Clearly the onus here is on you to ensure that this pony receives the urgent attention it seems to need from the welfare authorities.

Do update us when you can :o
 
Spudlet said:
Have you reported this? If not, I urge you to do so!
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I believe the RSPCA has already been involved about the state of the hooves - I haven't been able to get a definite account from anyone having heard various versions, so I don't know if they actually saw the ponies (owner has 2 and a horse, all just as bad as each other) but the feet have been done a bit more frequently since (about every 12 weeks :( ) but I'm certain they didn't get to hear about all the other aspects of their miserable lives. Unfortunately it is almost impossible to report them as the pony is in an internal stable so it would be obvious that it was an inside job. I've already almost been given instant notice because I complained about another pony ( toothless late 30s out 24/7 with no shelter, a poorly fitting ancient rug and NO feed given whatsoever - it was like a hat-rack every winter) so I have to tread particularly carefully. Apparently I'm a trouble maker.
 
fatpiggy said:
I believe the RSPCA has already been involved about the state of the hooves - I haven't been able to get a definite account from anyone having heard various versions, so I don't know if they actually saw the ponies (owner has 2 and a horse, all just as bad as each other) but the feet have been done a bit more frequently since (about every 12 weeks :( ) but I'm certain they didn't get to hear about all the other aspects of their miserable lives. Unfortunately it is almost impossible to report them as the pony is in an internal stable so it would be obvious that it was an inside job. I've already almost been given instant notice because I complained about another pony ( toothless late 30s out 24/7 with no shelter, a poorly fitting ancient rug and NO feed given whatsoever - it was like a hat-rack every winter) so I have to tread particularly carefully. Apparently I'm a trouble maker.
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I understand it's a difficult situation, but these horses need someone to watch their backs for them:(

Could you not find somewhere else for yours first then report them? Apart from anything else if people are so careless about their own horses welfare I don't think I'd want them anywhere near one of mine:(
 
so according to the 5 freedoms all animals should have company of their own kind? if people are banging on about horses being herd animals, what about dogs being pack animals and cats living in prides/groups? All those people who keep a single hamster had better watch out and get another so they can kill one another:rolleyes: Honestly, I do think it's a joke and more time should be spent dealing with ACTUAL cruelty.
 
Spudlet said:
I understand it's a difficult situation, but these horses need someone to watch their backs for them:(

Could you not find somewhere else for yours first then report them? Apart from anything else if people are so careless about their own horses welfare I don't think I'd want them anywhere near one of mine:(
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Not a prayer unfortunately - I'd be off like a shot if I had somewhere to go but it just isn't possible. The only way my horse could leave now is on the knackermans truck. It totally kills me to see these animals so uncared for. The horse is a nice animal, a useful size but is getting older by the day. The other pony is still quite young and its ability to walk has improved no-end since the hooves got chopped back, but it is turning more and more feral every day as it is never handled. I'm told they were on Preloved a while ago but with no result. The YO is completely aware of the situation but won't do a thing and likes the extra ££ they get from sticking a haynet in for the old pony etc since the owner rarely comes down. I've only seen her 3 times in nearly 2 years. A proper yard would never tolerate it but its just a farm doing a spot of diversifying.
 
Wow, I'm amazed that you can just turn a blind eye fatpiggy.

Makes you just as culpable as the owner, and yard owner.

I'm genuinly shocked and appalled.
 
amymay said:
Wow, I'm amazed that you can just turn a blind eye fatpiggy.

Makes you just as culpable as the owner, and yard owner.

I'm genuinly shocked and appalled.
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Oh well thanks for the vote of confidence. Just what I needed. At least I do go and check the poor little thing hasn't died overnight, despite the fact I leave in tears every time. But I'm afraid that if push comes to shove, my horse is my responsibility and I won't jeopardise her welfare. I have asked other people off the yard to report it but I can't force them. Several of the other liveries feel the same way.
 
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