Abandoned Horse ???

TommyT

There is a horse being kept in a field at the end of our road that for all intents and purposes has been abandoned. It has food, in the form of a large plastic covered bail of hay, which has been there for about 2 months, but the owner doesnt seemt to visit it or bring it drinking water. For the past couple of months we have been bringing it fresh drinking water daily, but we dont really know anything about horses. It looks in a sorry enough state and this afternoon as I was coming home I noticed that it had got tangled up in some rope and his head was basically attached to its leg. I took the rope off him and got him some more water, but I am concerned for the well being of this animal.
We have rang the local council, who say its not their responsibility as it is not out on the road or causing a nuisance and the RSPCA dont seem to answer the phone. What can be done to help this horse?

Clare Bear

Unfortunately the ISPCA can be really busy at times but keep trying, some local ISPCA's are better than others, where are you based?

TommyT

Should have said, we are in Louth.

smelltheglove

http://www.irishhorsewelfaretrust.org/

just found that on a quick google search they should be able to help you.

I spoke to somone before who actually used to take horses away from people when they werent being looked after and as far as i remember they worked for the council but for the life of me I cant recall who it was.

Pandora 007

Email info@dspca.ie and ask they what to do.

andreac

I second the Irish horse welfare trust, ring them and they should do something about it.
http://www.ihwt.ie/

Thats their website, please dont leave this too much longer and call them.

TommyT

The local council will not get involved unless the animal is out on the road and a danger to itself or the general public. We have left various messages with the ISPCA and got no response as yet, though I understand they are very busy and the IHWT say we are too far away for them to get involved and have advised us to contact the ISPCA.
Dont really know what to do other than keep bring water and fresh food to the horse. I have found out who the horse belongs to, though have no contact details for him, He is a member of the travelling community, I`ll say no more.

woofie87

Fair play to you Tommy for helping the horse, especially now in this freezing cold your food and fresh water is probably saving its life! I am always amazed how cruel some people treat their animals and the ignorance of institutions is something else!

TommyT

My GF got a call from the ISPCA this morning informing us that because we are providing food and water for the horse that we arent really doing it any favours. The owner could claim that it is him that is providing the food and water. What are we supposed to do, let the horse die in the hope that someone tracks down the owner and prosecutes him? I thought we were actually doing some good, but it appears not.

MsFifers

That is the most incredibly stupid thing I have ever heard! What do they want - let the horse starve and so they can prosecute the owner when it is dead?

Are you on to your local ISPCA or to the national helpline?

You shouldn't have to do any more than you are already doing, but I think if I were you I would put the whole scenario in writing to the ISCPA, and keep a log of when and what you a feeding the horse (even receipts for food if you have it?). If you tell them you have this, then maybe they will get out to the horse as they will then have evidence that the horse is being neglected by its owner.

I'm v. frustrated on your behalf!:mad:

Storm_rages

Oh my god! shocking!!

TommyT

I dont think I should have to go as far as to provide receipts for food etc, all I want is that one of the agencies come out and have a look at the horse and if needed find it a better home. I dont mind providing food and water for the horse, it isnt much hassle to fill a 5 gallon drum with water and bring some food down every day, but I am amazed that no one in either the local council or any of the animal charities seem to have any interest.
It just really annoys me that someone will go to the bother of renting a field for the horse and then leaving it to its own devices for what has to be 2 or 3 months.

fits

Is the horse visibly thin?

Does the horse drink much when you bring the water down?

The Sweeper

Also - no offence TommyT, but what are you feeding it? If there's a bale of hay in the field, there are horses who overwinter with worse (though he's definitely benefitting from the fresh water you're bringing and I'm sure the poor blighter could do with shelter and a rug in this weather, even if he has a shaggy outdoor coat).

I just ask because you say you don't know much about horses, and a horse is basically a head at one end, a tail at the other and an unstable nuclear reactor in between. If you're not feeding him correctly you could give him an atrocious gut ache.

You say he looks "In a sorry state". Things to look out for when describing the horse to the ISPCA: can you see his ribs? If ribs are visible, count them. (You shouldn't be able to count that many, if you can he's underweight). Is there any discharge or crusting from or around his eyes or his nose? Any cough or wheezing when he breathes? Look at his feet and legs - how are his hooves? Do you know if he's shod? Are there any noticeable cracks, splits, nicks or chips in his hooves? Any lameness? Compare his limbs - is there any thickening in one leg over another? If you're confident touching him - and be careful if you're not - run your hands over his knees and ankles, see if there are spots that are hot or tender to the touch. How is his gait - is it even or uneven, does he favour any feet?

The rest of his condition - are there any noticeable wounds or scars on the animal? Other than needing a dose of wormer, a wash and a good brush, is there anything that looks like it needs a vet's attention - a lump or bump, a mark, a bare patch, a cut or sore, a knot or anything else? If you don't know much about horses, work on the basis of symmetry - compare the left side to the right and look for differences.

He may be having problems with his teeth - if you have no experience, I don't suggest you go having a look in there, but if you touch him around his mouth, nose and cheeks are there any identifiable sore spots? Does he chafe at the mouth much, when you visit him is there a lot of foam around his mouth? (If his teeth are too long or something is irritating his tongue or mouth, he may work his mouth a lot, creating a sort of foam).

You sound like you're really up against it with your local agencies, but if you can give them a full run down of the animal's condition, as opposed to just saying "There's a horse in my local field with a huge bale of hay and no shelter, and I give him water every day, do you think he needs rescuing", you might get a bit further with them. Try listing issues on some of the things I've listed above, and also try taking photographs of him.

Good luck - it's frustrating, but persevere, you're doing him a favour!

daisyplant

Just a thought but could you find out who owns the field and through them find out who owns the horse? Well done for looking after him by the way so many would not have even noticed!;)

claireeney

a bale wrapped in plastic? is it silage? that is deadly poisonous to horses if left open for 2 or more days. you have probably saved that horses life already by feeding it and you should be proud of yourself! if it got hungry enough it would eat the silage and die. its good to know there are people like you out there.
i know a couple of horse nuts who would physically go to the lengths of finding the owner and taking the horse from them (by buying it or taking it off his hands) just to stop it's suffering.
the way you were treated by the ispca is disgusting. is it not their job to investigate these calls??

fits

MAJD I really wouldnt recommend he goes anywhere near the horses legs or teeth.

OP, do you know anyone who knows anything about horses who could have a look for you? Tbh a lot of hardy horses dont need rugs and very little in the way of shelter (a good hedge is often enough).

My own mare is extremely hardy to the extent she doesnt need extra feeding at all during the winter (plenty of grass there). And she's not rugged at all. Horses can also get an awful lot of moisture from dew and the grass at this time of year, although it is true, there should always be a water source (are you sure theres no ditch in a corner of the field?) If she did need hay, a full bale would be gone in about a month.

Just make sure you know what you're dealing with before going in all guns blazing, thats all I'm saying.

fits

claireeney wrote: »

a bale wrapped in plastic? is it silage? that is deadly poisonous to horses if left open for 2 or more days. you have probably saved that horses life already by feeding it and you should be proud of yourself! if it got hungry enough it would eat the silage and die. its good to know there are people like you out there.
i know a couple of horse nuts who would physically go to the lengths of finding the owner and taking the horse from them (by buying it or taking it off his hands) just to stop it's suffering.
the way you were treated by the ispca is disgusting. is it not their job to investigate these calls??

Jeez that is just such a leap to be making. :rolleyes:

OP obviously has best of intentions but we are far from being in full possession of the facts here.

claireeney

fits wrote: »

Jeez that is just such a leap to be making. :rolleyes:

OP obviously has best of intentions but we are far from being in full possession of the facts here.

he asked for advice, i gave my opinion. should i have asked him for a detailed report and photographs perhaps??

The Sweeper

Looks like a detailed report and photos is the only thing that is going to budge the ISPCA at this point.

Fits, you're right re examining the horse, I just thought that since the OP has already stated he untangled it from some rope, I thought it might be quite a placid, older animal that will allow itself be examined and that he's had some physical contat with it already. (Though saying that if I tried to untangle my cousin's 20 year old brood mare from something she'd kick my head in. Hmmm.)

fits

claireeney wrote: »

he asked for advice, i gave my opinion. should i have asked him for a detailed report and photographs perhaps??

If I found out someone was feeding my horse because she looked a bit cold and bedraggled (no rug, no hay remember) I'd throw a fit. Horses colic and die after being fed by well meaning people without a clue (apples are a prime cause of that one).

I'm not saying thats the case here.

Also chances are if the horse is tethered, that someone is checking on it every day.

TommyT

As I said at the start I know nothing about horses, we noticed this horse while out walking the dog, who gets 3 walks a day and we noticed that while there are horses in the fields nearby, this particular horse never has anyone there to feed it, give it water or look after it in any way. The horses in the other fields have people there on a regular basis to look after them.
The horse is being kept in a smallish field with a small hedge around it. There is nothing in the way of shelter and the hedges wouldnt really provide any protection from the elements. The land is quite boggy and there is no water source anywhere in the field other than the bucket that is tied to the gate.
The bale of hay that was left for the horse does look like a bale of silage in the way that it is wrapped, but it is definitely hay. It was one of the first things that we noticed, the horse was actually trying to eat through the plastic to get to the hay. When we went over to remove the plastic we then noticed that he had no water and this whole saga began. For the past two months or so we have been bringing water and at times food to the horse.
I have spoke to some of the other people who rent the local fields to keep horses, mostly travellers, and they know the man that owns the horse. He is from the monaghan area. He may come back some day to move the horse, he may not. It seem that is the type of person he is. One traveller asked me if I would be willing to contact the council as even he thought the animal deserved better treatment.
As for the horse itself, he is certainly not underweight. He has put on a bit of weight since we took an interest in him and it seems that since he has been getting fresh drinking water everyday he is eating much more of the hay. But he is a sorry sight. He is manky, very wet and his skin isnt in great condition. In human terms he is like the local homeless guy. He is a sorry state, but I am sure he would be ok with the right care and attention.
Its not in my nature to report anyone to the authourities, I would ususally turn a blind eye to anything I see, maybe its the nordie in me, but this is wrong. If the local council or the ISPCA were to come out and assess the situation and say the horse is ok that would be fine by me, but I cant get anyone to do that. All we are trying to do here is help an animal that seems to be left to fend for itself in what has been a very cold winter.

fits

Ring the Irish Horse Welfare Trust and they may be able to give you some advice and guidance about this.

They'd be my first port of call anyway. ( a lot of the spcas here are close to useless imo)

Well done for giving the horse water. It is true that they're reluctant to eat hay if theres no water available.

http://www.ihwt.ie/

TommyT

The IHWT told us to contact the ISPCA :mad:

bada-bing

Poor you. Well done on having taken such an interest in the welfare of this poor animal. If the animal in question does not have access to clean running water (naturally, such as a stream etc) or a provided source, then this animal is most certainly being mistreated, no matter what condition it is in otherwise, that is my opinion and i have plenty of hands on experience. If someone saw my own mare at the moment they would certainly be correct in saying she looks like the horsey equivilent of a tramp, with mud up to her knees in her feeding area, but she is never without water, even when this means breaking ice every morning.

It is true that people with the best intentions can often be mistaken. For example little hardy native ponies often get obese on little or no grazing during spring/summer and have to be restricted to very small areas of a field. One summer we had a local nun call in to the house when my mam was out gardening telling her that "there was a poor little pony being starved" down the road, not realising of course that it was own!

But in fairness to Tommy I certainly do not think this is the case here, and during frosty weather a horse of any size simply will not get enough moisture from the elements to survive. Indeed my own mare drank half a barrel daily during the recent frosty spell.

I am appalled that the ISPCA would basically chastise you for stepping in to perhaps save yet another animal from being found either dead, or too late for any rescue efforts to succeed.

Maybe you could try contacting the owner and telling him that you have being giving his animal water, but perhaps this would be risky?

EGAR

If a bale is wrapped in plastic doesn't necessarily means that is is silage. Haylage is also wrapped in plastic and that is a brilliant feed for horses.

My horses didn't go near water during the frosty spell btw. I change the barrels daily and I've got 4 horses and a donkey.

PurpleBerry

fits wrote: »

Tbh a lot of hardy horses dont need rugs and very little in the way of shelter (a good hedge is often enough).

I have to agree. My pony never had a rug and he didn't suffer for it. Of course some horses do, such as hotbloods; Arabians, Thoroughbreds, or warmbloods; Hanoverians, Akhal-Tekes, Apaloosas, but "heavier" horses such as cobs don't.

bada-bing

on that.. haylage once opened should also be used within 3/4 days, it goes off and not saying a horse will necessarily DIE from eating if, but generally once it starts to smell a bit musty horses wont touch it any way.. unless of course they have no alternative:(

lucky you EGAR if you dont have to lug water containers across a field every day but im sure your not suggesting that a horse should be left without any water? i really dont know how your water wasnt going down when it wasnt raining.. they must be drinking from somewhere else.
Either that or you have a neighbour who thinks you never visit and is filling it every day for you:p (just kidding)!

EGAR

My horses are on 18 acres right by my house. They happily munched the grass sweetened by the frost. And with 4 horse (one of which is an always hungry 15.2hh TB and the other one an even hungrier 17hh gelding) a round bale of haylage is gone in a few days.

I didn't suggest anything, you might want to be very careful before you accuse me of a statement I did not make. I merely posted my observation.

And, in case you do not know: I run a rescue, both dogs and horses, so surely I am in a position to state my opinion. After all this IS a discussion board.

bada-bing

EGAR.. i didnt accuse you of anything, as i believe is quite evident from the question mark at the end of my statement. I merely wanted to clarify for the OPs benifit that horses DO in fact need water, and he is has a ligitimate reason to be concerned. As someone with no knowledge of horses he could have misinturpreted your post and thought that if four horses and a donkey arn't drinking any water then perhaps this horse is perfectly grand with his big bale of haylage. I just wanted to clarify that you were NOT suggesting that horses are not provided with a water source.

OP have you had any joy with any of the organisations or the owner?

EGAR

I am sure that OP and the members here all have common sense and know that most animals need access to clean drinking water 24/7. No need to belittle.

OP, when working cruelty cases involving live- or bloodstock, I got more joy out of DVO vets then SPCA's or Horse Welfare. If I were you I'd phone your local DVO, present your case and ask for a DVO vet to come out and assess the horse's condition.