Man banned for life after keeping 40 horses in 'horrendous conditions'

RSPCA inspectors found horses standing on muck 4ft high with their heads touching the roof of their stable.

Following an RSPCA prosecution, the pair were convicted of five animal welfare offences each after a trial and have been disqualified from keeping all animals.

The court heard how RSPCA inspectors Terri-Ann Fannon and Gemma Lynch and a World Horse Welfare Field Officer found horses in mud up to their knees. Some of the foals in the paddock could barely move as the mud was up to their chests.

Conditions were horrendous

Inspector Fannon said:

Officers found 40 horses at the site who did not have their needs met due to the pair's inactions. Many of the horses were found confined in areas significantly contaminated by droppings and the animals were without water, hay, or clean dry bedding for resting. They did not have a hard standing area to be able to stand out of the mud and several were found with overgrown hooves due to lack of farrier treatment. 

The court heard how Inspector Fannon found four Shetland ponies and two cob type horses in the 'worst conditions she had ever seen'. She said:

Inspector Fannon described how six Shetland ponies were found standing on two feet of muck and mud - they had no fresh water and no fresh hay. Another two Shetland ponies were found in a plastic greenhouse which was not easily accessible - officers had to climb over rubble and mud to reach them. They both had overgrown hooves and a piebald female was in thin body condition.  

Several of the horses had to be dug out by officers from their stables. One stable door was found nailed shut and a crowbar was needed to prise it open.  Again the stable was full of faeces and mud up to the knee and there was no hay or water inside.  Inside a piebald male horse had severely overgrown, curled hooves.

Another Shetland pony was found inside a horsebox with faeces and muck. She was in a thin body condition and in a suffering state due to lameness and osteoarthritis in her shoulders. 

Despite advising the couple a year earlier that they could not keep horses at the site during winter due to the extremely muddy conditions, no improvements had been made since the previous year apart from a makeshift area of uneven cobble bricks that had been put down which the horses could not stand on.  

All of the horses were examined by a vet before being taken to a place of safety in the RSPCA's care.

Animals caused to suffer

In total, 12 equines were caused to suffer by the pair's failure to provide farrier treatment for their overgrown hooves. Ten equines were also caused to suffer by them failing to provide adequate nutrition for their animals.

In addition to the lifetime disqualification from keeping all animals which the man can not contest for 10 years, he was sentenced to 18-weeks imprisonment suspended for 12 months and ordered to pay £750 costs. The woman was banned from keeping all animals for 10 years which she too can not contest for 10 years and she was ordered to pay a £180 fine and £750 costs.

'The worst horse case in my career'

Following the sentencing hearing, Inspector Fannon commented: