Case highlights a consequence of uncontrolled breeding of horses and ponies.
Posted on 28/05/2024
Share
Eleven miniature Shetland ponies suffering excruciating pain have had their lives turned around by our Penny Farm Rescue and Rehoming Centre. This follows a significant animal welfare operation involving ourselves and the RSPCA where the two charities responded to a call from a concerned member of the public and found nineteen Shetland ponies in varying states of neglect. The ponies’ owner was sentenced today by the Crown Court, with an immediate custodial sentence of 12 months and given a lifetime ban on keeping all animals, with no application for the ban to be lifted for 12 years.
“I am absolutely delighted to see the increased sentencing guidelines for animal cruelty that we successfully campaigned for, being used to good effect. We hope that we see more uses of lifetime bans in future cases.
“The defendant had a veneer of respectability within the showing world with two of her ponies well-looked after and in show condition, but she allowed the others to suffer in such a dreadful way, despite having received a previous caution for identical offences. So many of this group of Shetlands were suffering with laminitis and the owner will now see the consequences of allowing this to happen.
World Horse Welfare Field Officer, Sarah Tucker, who was involved in the rescue, shared her satisfaction at the sentencing
When they were found most of the ponies were overweight, many had overgrown hooves, and a number showed signs of extreme laminitis — a painful condition affecting their hooves. Tragically, the severity of neglect resulted in six of the ponies needing to be euthanized on site due to the pain and suffering caused by chronic laminitis and two more were later euthanized due to ongoing health issues.
“Ponies grazing endless, lush grass may seem idyllic, but the reality is very different. Allowed to breed unchecked, and with uncontrolled grazing, the ever-growing herd suffered horrendously with a number of conditions, and laminitis was rife. It has been a long road with the surviving ponies, it takes us longer to turn around an overweight pony than one that is underweight. The number that didn’t make it shows just how devastating laminitis can be.
Adam Cummins, Farm Manager at Penny Farm
The Shetland case highlights the ongoing challenges associated with rescuing and rehabilitating horses that suffer from severe neglect, with each horse in the care of World Horse Welfare costing the charity in the region of £5,000 per year. The team at Penny Farm has successfully rehabilitated the remaining ponies, including Bert, who was a tiny foal when he and his mother Lacey arrived at the centre.
“One of the best parts of my job is seeing horses thriving after the pitiful state they are in when we rescue them and knowing that they will be rehomed into loving, safe, homes for the rest of their lives.
“Sadly, this is another case showing one of the outcomes of uncontrolled breeding. Our ‘Do you need to breed?’ campaign highlights how even breeding one foal needs careful consideration.”
Sarah Tucker
Anyone who feels they would like to rehome one of their horses can find out more by visiting the rehoming page on our website.
Share
Topics
Related News
Horses’ recovery helped by Baileys Horse Feeds’ generous support
A herd of underweight Thoroughbred horses are making excellent progress in their recovery thanks to the support of feed company, Baileys Horse Feeds.
Has National Volunteer Week inspired you to lend us a hand?
Long-term volunteer Ann Bird shares her enthusiasm about helping out at Hall Farm
Recommended Blog Posts
Meet some of our often-unsung heroes on Groom Appreciation Day – Abi at Belwade Farm
“All of us love the horses we care for and when things go wrong, we really feel it, as this isn't just a job for us. If we didn't love them all, we wouldn't be working here to try and make a difference.”
A day with a World Horse Welfare Field Officer
Our Fundraising Marketing Officer swaps a day behind her desk for one in the field.
What is a dummy rider and how do we use them on our farms?
We catch up with Caroline Heard, Assistant Manager at Belwade Farm, to find out all about them.
Enjoy reading stories like this?
Join over 65,000 other horse lovers and sign up for our email newsletter
Join over 65,000 other horse lovers and sign up for our email newsletter
Sign me up now
