Lincolnshire Woman Receives Ban After Failing To Ensure The Welfare Of Her Horses

A woman from Lincolnshire has been sentenced after pleading guilty to failing to ensure the welfare of her horses. Renee Walker, 31, of North Street, Middle Rasen appeared before Grimsby Magistrates last Friday (17 February 2012) for sentencing after pleading guilty to failing to meet the needs of the horses in her care under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 at a previous hearing. Walker received a 12 month ban from looking after horses and has been ordered to pay £500 in costs. In 2010, World Horse Welfare Chief Field Officer David Boyd, along with representatives from the RSPCA, were called out to visit a site in Grasby where there were at least 41 horses being kept in around four acres of land and Renee Walker was given advice to find suitable housing for them. Ms Walker then moved the horses from the site in Grasby to several different locations. During a re-visit at a later date in 2010 to The Orchards in Utterby, Lincolnshire, David Boyd and the RSPCA found a 16.0hh chestnut mare called ‘Minka’ with a dreadful wound on her face which was infected and covered in flies. Minka was removed from the site and taken into the care of Bransby Home of Rest for Horses in Lincolnshire. In January 2011, David Boyd and representatives from the RSPCA were called to visit a field off Station Road in Healing, Lincolnshire after World Horse Welfare received a call from a concerned member of public about the condition of a group of horses. They found one horse in a very poor condition and therefore removed it from the site, and the others were removed as the environment was deemed unsuitable for their needs. After Friday’s sentencing World Horse Welfare Chief Field Officer David Boyd said: “We were pleased that she received a ban but were anticipating a slightly longer ban. However, this case clearly highlights the problem of owning too many horses as it is detrimental to the welfare of the animals. “People should really think twice before taking on too many horses as there are many financial implications involved. Increasingly World Horse Welfare’s Field Officers are called to welfare concerns across the UK as a result of members of the public thinking they can look after numerous horses. The reality is that many can’t especially during the winter months when more hay and concentrate feed is needed, which can be costly.”

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