Somebody has left a Welsh A type pony in our field!

[Butkin]

Yesterday morning somebody left a Welsh A type pony in our field! It is small and nervous and looks like a yearling. It is chestnut with a white face and white socks and isn't the best of movers behind. Can't get close enough to work out it's sex.

Our horses were in the stables and now we can't turn ours out because it is spreading worms everywhere.

We've rung the police but they were no help. We've put up an abandonment notice because apparently we have to give people 14 days before we do something.

When we rang the RSPCA they, rather strangely, said they couldn't help and advised us to move it to somebody else's field!!!

We've put photos up on Facebook and we're going to get the media involved. It'll have to go but does anybody have any good ideas?

There was someone else on this forum last year with exactly the same problem, I think she ended up keeping the horse in the end - I can't remember who it was but hopefully she will see this as i'm sure she could give some useful advice.

Sadly it seems horse abandonment is on the increase and i'm sure the weather's not helping.

Perhaps notify all local vets see if they know where it came from? Local re-homing charity for advice on what to do now?

Glad to see the RSPCA giving such responsible advice

Good luck.

Try the Horse & Hound forum, they may have ideas of who else to contact. Typical RSPCA response I'm afraid though.

We have quite a few friends in Northern Ireland, who tell us this has happened to them and that it is quite common there. Now the 'practice' of abandonment seems to be spreading and I've heard of a few cases recently in other parts of the UK.

Hopefully, your situation will turn out to be a case of straying and you'll hear from the owner soon. Fingers crossed!

Another one:(

There has been a long running threads now in Classics about a stallion left in a field.

There is lots of advice on that if you wade through it.

I think it may be resolved. This afternoon we spotted a man in our field trying to catch (unsuccessfully) this rather wild pony with some hay and a head collar.

He said it had escaped (with a friend) on Tuesday from his place in a village 10 miles away. He'd caught the friend and then this one was spotted in our village on Friday night and he managed to corral it into our paddock. He says he will come and take it away on Tuesday.

Rather annoying that he didn't find out who we were so he could have let us know!

Thanks for all your advice. It showed us what a nightmare scenario this is and how useless the RSPCA are.

It is annoying Butkin, but far better than an abandonment.

I've had escapees herded on to my land before (though, to be fair, not by their owners) and I do understand that it is a far better course of action than leaving them on the road to cause a traffic accident.

Yes absolutely and we have no problem at all with him herding the pony into our field. Pleased to be able to help. Our only quibble was why didn't he call at the house to let us know. Just hope they can catch him on Tuesday!

Lavender the stallion thread was slightly different, the horse wasn't abandoned as such. The OP bought a house and was told before purchase that the horses would be gone and the field empty but when she moved in they were still there. The horse owners expected to carry on having the field and water for nothing and were awkward about leaving.

Perhaps a letter to Gavin Grant at the RSPCA to vent your frustration Butkin?!

People are strange though - it would have been a simple (and polite)thing to knock on your door or slip a note through it. I hope they can get it on Tuesday!