Action against horse owners

[DearMartha]

There are horses in a local field that are inconsistently given water by their owners. During the past three weeks- during this heatwave -there have been 2/3 days in a row when the horses have not been given any water.
This happened last summer too.

I am sick of the neglect and want to know what can be done, if anything, to have their horses taken away/have them prosecuted/ prevent them from being able to continue doing this. Any experience/advice?

You could report it to the RSPCA who should then investigate it.

World Horse Welfare are probably a goo, d call, the rspca are inundated with calls for neglected ponies and they have to be at deaths door before they act.

We had a similar sitution local to us and the RSPCA refused to come out. To be fair, and to give the full picture, that was because 4 of us, 3 in their late 60s, were lugging buckets of water into the field for the horses to drink. Ergo, in the RSPCAs logic, they had water.

Having tried unsuccessfully to get them out to a house where dogs were kept outside 24 hours a day whatever the weather I no longer support them financially, choosing to direct my money to smaller local charities who will actually try and help.

Thanks all. I only hear about the RSPCA being unresponsive and unhelpful esp if the animals in question aren’t literally dropping dead.
I have had more luck in the past with the British Horse Society but they seem to remind the owners to water the horses, the owners do that for a few days and then the supply fades away again and we are back to square one.
The Animal Welfare Act seems to say that if basic needs aren’t being met then it is an offence- irrespective of if the horse is sick or not. I’m wondering if anyone has successfully documented a non supply of water and then been able to build a successful case for prosecution?
If not, what law would have to change to make prosecutions more likely?

I wouldn't bother with the RSPCA, they're worse than useless on the whole.

I'd call World Horse Welfare: https://www.worldhorsewelfare.org/what-we-do/in-the-uk/worried-about-a-horse or BHS Welfare: https://www.bhs.org.uk/horse-care-and-welfare/report-a-welfare-concern/

Much as I'd want to see these people punished, I'd be more interested in the horses' welfare than a prosecution. It would be down to the authorities to push for that.

The best course would be to publicly shame them on a local Facebook group.
Nothing sorts out neglectful owners quite like an angry mob.

Thank you- I hear you. I’m watering the horses daily when not working away but owners are such repeat offenders I’m just desperate for them to understand that they have to change their behaviours for good. If they don’t care about the suffering I can’t work out what will motivate them to care for them in an ongoing fashion.

World horse welfare are a better call than rspca.

How do you know they're not being watered though? There are tethered horses near to me, the owners take water twice a day on normal days, more often on really hot days. The horses have big long drinks when the owners top up the water, then usually knock the waters over. (Often with the tethers) unless you're watching 24/7 you'd think they weren't watered.

I can see no water has been added to the only water vessel in the field as their mouth marks are the same along the bottom of the tub where they have tried to hydrate despite there being no water available. (On the occasions they do provide water this is the vessel the owners use).
Also when I bring them water they are desperate.
My understanding is water should be freely accessible. Am I wrong on that?

No you're not wrong. Water should be freely available, but if they were being given access to water 2 or 3 times a day, that would be seen as "enough".

Whomever you call don't admit to giving them water call them as soon as thr water runs low so there is none when they come out

You could try reporting to DEFRA, I recently contacted them (after trying various other agencies) about a cow that had given birth and wasn't being looked after, they sent a vet out and now (the bit for you) the owner no longer keeps cows.
But as other PP say if you tell them you're providing water there's more chance they'll see it as being dealt with.

There is what many of the horse charities call a UK Horse Crisis

https://www.bluecross.org.uk/campaign/horse-crisis

To many horses, not worth anything in most cases and no proper controls over ownership and a lack of leadership by Government

This is a really helpful document- thanks so much