# Don't have a clue



## piglet2003 (Jan 21, 2012)

I don't know know anything about horse's and need to know if this is normal/ acceptable. Given the weather we have been having lately and the snow there is a horse chained up in a open field no shelter or blanket and you can see where it has just been walking round in a circal. It is in a field where children play and dog owners walk with there pets. I don't think it is right but as i have said i do not know anything about a horse. I have got some pics on my phone if i can figure out how to upload them i will.
Many thanks


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## Argent (Oct 18, 2009)

That doesn't sound right at all if he's there 24/7  Perhaps he belongs to some gypsies or something...


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## piglet2003 (Jan 21, 2012)

I think the horse does belong to gypsy's but as a animal lover i just wanted to know if it was right or what could be done. I am sure if they where chained up in this weather they wouldn't like it.


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## sharon_gurney (Jan 27, 2010)

does the horse have access to any shelter, food or water?

It may not need a rug if its a native type horse but id ring RSPCA to check on it


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## piglet2003 (Jan 21, 2012)

The horse has no shelter and a plastic bucket thing with water in it couldn't see any food. It is just chained up on common open ground. It is just i feel so sad for the poor horse.


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## Starlight Express (Feb 25, 2011)

I'd be on the phone to RSPCA and let them know the situation. If he's standing like that 24/7 he needs help. Horses need food, water and shelter. If he is chained up, he won't be able to go in search of food or shelter. 

At least then the RSPCA will either take him to somewhere he is cared for or locate the owners and sort them out. Best to speak up for the horse as he can't get help himself.

Please let us all know how things are going, I hope it has a happy outcome.


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## piglet2003 (Jan 21, 2012)

Thank you Starlight Express, I will contact the RSPCA and let everyone the outcome.


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## tonette (Dec 28, 2008)

Starlight Express said:


> I'd be on the phone to RSPCA and let them know the situation. If he's standing like that 24/7 he needs help. Horses need food, water and shelter. If he is chained up, he won't be able to go in search of food or shelter.
> 
> At least then the RSPCA will either take him to somewhere he is cared for or locate the owners and sort them out. Best to speak up for the horse as he can't get help himself.
> 
> Please let us all know how things are going, I hope it has a happy outcome.


Totally agree with you, but unfortunately they are allowed to tether horses ( it should be illegal horses are meant to roam)what they are not allowed to do is leave a horse without water or food, and also from what I can gather the tether has to be to no distress to the horse. So I would phone the RSPCA to get it checked out

Basic Horse Care


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## Starlight Express (Feb 25, 2011)

Any news yet?


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## debtherat (Jan 29, 2009)

And from my experience don't bother with the RSPCA....unless the horse is at death's door.....you are better off contacting British Horse Society or a similar organisation. What you will probably find as I have done these past weeks is that the owner is operating just within the law and that the horse would not be classified as a cruelty case because its not been mistreated or neglected enough. It's very sad.  But good on you for caring


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## piglet2003 (Jan 21, 2012)

Sorry for the late re[ly, The RSPCA have been down to check on the horse and are keeping an eye on it. It has even made our local paper.
Horse abandoned on Epsom church ground at least it is now getting hay.

8:00am Friday 17th February 2012 in

* By Sophia Sleigh »

A mystery horse has been abandoned on church ground.

The male horse, which is known as Barry or Champion, has been left to "fly graze" in Ruxley Lane on land which is owned by Ruxley Church.

The horse which appeared on Boxing Day morning has drawn the attention of concerned neighbours, the RSPCA and the police and even has his own Facebook page.

Reverend Stuart Thomas of Ruxley Church said: "It was a secure site, so whoever put it there trespassed.

"I know many people have rung the RSPCA and are worried about its welfare.

"As far as I am aware the veterinary advice is its in reasonable health."

However, he warned that it is becoming a little overweight due to well intentioned passers by feeding it inappropriate food.

Rev Stuart Thomas said as a Christian church they rejoice in creation and will take steps to ensure the welfare of the animal.

Emma Nutbrown, spokeswoman for the Diocese of Guildford which owns the land said: "Building work is due to start very soon on the site and clearly it isnt ideal to have a pony there.

"The animals welfare is of great concern to all and the church is taking advice as how to best proceed from here.

"Ruxley Church has waited a long time for a new home and we hope this matter will be resolved as soon as possible."

An RSPCA inspector visited the horse on Thursday, February 2 and left a note asking people not to feed the horse.

The letter requests that the person responsible for the animal call the RSPCA as a matter of urgency.

No-one has yet come forward despite the horse receiving fresh bales of hay.

Police officers are working with partner agencies and the local authority to establish who the owner of the horse is.

Anyone with information about who the horse belongs to should contact the Epsom and Ewell Safer Neighbourhood Team on 101.

Do you know whose horse it is? Call the newsdesk on 0208 722 6346 or email [email protected]


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## piglet2003 (Jan 21, 2012)

http://www.epsomguardian.co.uk/resources/images/1910340/?type=display
Don't know if the link will work but it should be a picture of the horse.


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## tonette (Dec 28, 2008)

what a beautiful horse, any news on him yet?

Basic Horse Care


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## piglet2003 (Jan 21, 2012)

tonette said:


> what a beautiful horse, any news on him yet?
> 
> Basic Horse Care


No still there RSPCA haven't won't take him to a horse recue I hate to see any animal treated this way. No one has come forward about him i just think it is disgusting, why can't they just rehome him.


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## tonette (Dec 28, 2008)

The laws around horses and owner ship must be so tight don't know if you read the post I posted recently regarding a woman who was charged. But her horses was in a bad state every time the RSPCA or ILPHA was called. I have no idea what their criteria has to be before they act and take a horse 

Basic Horse Care


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## debtherat (Jan 29, 2009)

From what i understand ( and this i through trying to help a horse in a similar plight) if the horse is on land owned by the church then it is the churc'h...s responsibility to deal with it. They should put up a notice of abandonment which leaves the owner a window of time in which to claim/move horse, after which the church can claim ownership and dispose of the horse as they see fit. The Redwings site will give you some info..and yes the criteria to be met to be established as a cruelty case are tight ....we have many horses in the area being fly grazed and you would be surprised when you start to delve into things at how difficult it is to get help for these horses....because the owners are staying within an inch of the law.


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## Tallyho (Feb 18, 2012)

There was some ponies by me , that i rang one of the horse rescue places , they did not want to know and told me to ring the rspca which i dont rate at all, but give them their due this time they did come out and did take the ponies off the owners .


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## toffee44 (Oct 21, 2011)

If he can get to that hedgeline he has shelter. 

So many people are against tethering however done properly I see no problem. Horses who are tethered should be moved every 12hrs or so, away from droppings and muddy ground, have a hedgeline at least for shelter, water and food should be available if grass poor. 

I tethered my cob through the summer after he just walked through electric fencing and stock fencing three times and ended up on the roadside, luckily he stayed on the verge  

For those against tethering please look outside horseman who are not gypsies. Many heavy working horses, loggers are tethered when working. What about those gypsies who still travel with their horses, have a look down in rural farms etc you may see them they keep away from road side theses days.

Tethering should not be done with rope, and I always make sure if I was to tether that the horse is tethered using a chain through a hose pipe (Cannot constrict to point of injury) and the horse has a headcollar with my details on and the headcolar is connected to the tethering collar with a leather strap. The horse should be connected via a spinning ground spike. A horse who has never been tethered before should not be left for long periods of time.


What the RSPCA need, as useless as they are, is greater control for those horses incorrectly tethered. A tethering ban hopefully will never happen as is still common practice for those who genuinely care for their horses. Unfortunately we only hear bad things about the practice.


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## Dackelsgalore (Jun 30, 2011)

Sadly you may never have seen the suffering,neglect,deaths and injuries caused by tethering.To me it is horse keeping on the cheap.I have met people who brag that they have 17 horses.all tethered on local parks so no one else can use the area.In Dudley,since October last year 11 horses have died,mainly through neglect and starvation and another 20 removed by animal welfare charities.Some of these have died despite treatment.All these were tethered on public land.5 died within a 3 week period which is a horrible state of affairs. Tethering should be for a short time only,say maximum 12 hours.If it isn`t your land then don`t complain if the bailiffs seize your horse.I am not blaming gypsies either,as most of these horses are owned by local so-called dealers who don`t check their horses regularly and leave them without water and food and never worm them. Recently there was an outbreak of Strangles,and surprise surprise,the absent owners never came forward to claim them!


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## MidNightHoofBeats (Mar 21, 2012)

the fact thati t was been chained up permanently is setting off alarms in my head. i would wait to see what happens before alerting the police or RSPCA. If it has no food, i would give it some hay and carrots, and if you could get a hold of one, a blanket. xoxo Good luck! xoxo to me, it sounds like its been abandoned. xoxo :crying:


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## toffee44 (Oct 21, 2011)

MidNightHoofBeats said:


> the fact thati t was been chained up permanently is setting off alarms in my head. i would wait to see what happens before alerting the police or RSPCA. If it has no food, i would give it some hay and carrots, and if you could get a hold of one, a blanket. xoxo Good luck! xoxo to me, it sounds like its been abandoned. xoxo :crying:


Sorry worse thing you can do for a horse under investigation from RSPCA I learnt the hard way. Had some ponies near me that had not had water for days, topped up their water, RSPCA turned up and said the horses were beingcared for, even though I contacted them saying it was me, a complete stranger, who had done the water and repared some of the fencing. I had to leave those horses without water until the RSPCA pressed charges.

I have seen horses incorrectly tethered. I freed a colt that had been tethered to a tree and constricted itself and was choking, horrific. My mare has a scar under her neck just inplace for a tethering collar, most likely left for weeks tethered/ hurt her self with rope.

And grazing horses on common land is a whole different debate, just look at the situation out on Dartmoor  Let alone those horses tethered.


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## woofandwalk (Mar 12, 2012)

For those of you concerned here please sign this:

Tethering Campaign

So many horses like the poster has described around here. Many in a much worse condition.
RSPCA won't/can't do anything about it. The law needs to be changed. They need 100,000 signatures by October to get it in for a debate.

There are some responsible people who tether their horses properly, but the majority don't.


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