TIGHTER CONTROLS ON THE ILLEGAL GRAZING OF HORSES (FLY-GRAZING) AND ABANDONMENT

In the past few years there has been a very significant increase in the number of horses abandoned by their owners.

There are a number of reasons for this including:

• The financial downturn, which has resulted in the loss of many jobs, and greatly reduced income, is one reason why the continued ownership of a horse becomes an unaffordable liability.

• There is also the child’s “Can I have that pony please, Mummy, it only costs £50!” a plea some parents are unable to resist and who leap blindly into horse ownership with no idea of the commitment they are undertaking. Many horses acquired this way find themselves sold on very quickly and the problem is perpetuated, often causing anxiety, stress and sometimes suffering to the equine.

• Unbroken young horses are sold off the moors at prices as low as £10, encouraging purchases by inexperienced people with no concept of the expertise, time and financial cost of keeping a horse happy, healthy, and well trained.

This increase in abandoned horses, reaching crisis levels, has caused the government to amend the Animals Act 1971 to provide greater controls on illegal grazing and abandonment. Section 9 of the Animal Welfare Act 2006 states that a person who is responsible for the animal commits an offence if they do not provide for the needs of an animal as required by good practice. This includes a horse that is deliberately abandoned somewhere by an owner either permanently or for a period sufficient to risk unnecessary suffering to the animal.

Illegal Grazing, or Fly-Grazing, is the deliberate grazing of horses on land without the occupier’s permission, a growing problem for landowners and livery yards are experiencing an increase in owners seek livery or field rental with the intention of abandoning their horse in the hope that their animal will find a new home.

If you are a landowner/occupier or livery yard owner dealing with an abandoned horse/s on your property Redwings (redwings.org.uk), provides a helpful guide advising on steps to take under the Animals Act 1971. This is recommended reading.

The guide includes useful tips for landowner/occupiers on prevention, also specific preventative advice for livery yards.

Help for Horses UK was established to rescue, rehabilitate and rehome abandoned and mistreated equines. We are also committed to providing education and advice to horse owners and to those who are thinking of buying a horse but have little or no experience of equines.