Bless him and curse him :-) !
Dear old Tettle only chose last night to pack on an extraordinary covering of fat over his ribs. It's thin of course, but there's a definite layer there that you can move around over the top of his ribcage.
As a result, I am really disappointed in the response of my vet. He was only prepared to consider the horse he saw in front of him, and of course the bio yoghurt has kicked in and he is looking so much better today than he was yesterday, never mind Friday when he arrived. The vet wouldn't pass judgement on the pictures from Saturday or on how thin Tetley would have been at 45 kilos less than he measured him at today. Or on whether a horse that thin should have been turned out without forage. So he won't support a prosecution.
At the same time, the young man who came from the RSPCA today was completely new to us and we had to explain everything all over again. I'm afraid he was a bit wet behind the ears and is going to be precious little help at all. He kept saying that he had checked with Cambridge area and that Beckbrook had a terrific reputation! We tried to tell him that it's no use the yard being spotless if the horses aren't fed, but we weren't getting anywhere. Why on earth can't an RSPCA inspector see behind a surface gloss???
I shall still report her to the BHS and suggest her qualification is suspended pending some refresher study on feeding larger horses. Other than that, I'm not sure now what we can do to stop her doing it again next winter and the winters after that.
All four of them spent the night in the barn last night. They seemed to be getting on fine when I went out this morning. Tia was sound so I rode and we had a lovely hack down the road and back up. Jazz is definitely getting better but still quite lame. I was tempted to let the vet see him since he was here, but I decided not to as I know that he would be quite happy to cut out a chunk of sole to see if there was anything in his foot, and I definitely don't want that when he is improving daily.
I am grateful for the early springlike weather. Not least because they are getting so much grass during the day that their consumption of haylage at night has fallen. Which is just as well because if spring is at all late then I don't have enough haylage to feed four and my supplier has run out. It's a relief too to have them all the in the barn where I don't have to worry about wet bedding and only have to pick up the poo.
I'm looking forward to getting a 7th-day picture of Tetley on Friday to show you all just how much he has changed. I can imagine already what your reactions are going to be.
C
posted by cptrayes @ 4:53 PM
8 comments
8 Comments:
Oh dear, I was afraid of that. Your descriptions of Tetley's rapid improvement had me wondering just what the vet might say.
I would guess too, that supporting a prosecution would take a time and effort on his part as he would surely be called as a witness. So, to do so is a considerable hassle and might even put his reputation to task if victoria put up a strong defense. (and with money behind her, she would) All, in all, darn it.
Around here, the power of the press is considerable. Are there any animal friendly newspeople about? Any TV shows that deal with animals? I would think they might be interested in Tetley's pictures.
As for the RSPCA, typical bureaucracy at work again, I suppose. Why can't their own common sense and opinion of Tetley's condition at least spur a warning or an investigation?
Reputations are superficial. There is dirt beneath beckbrook. No way could this be an isolated incident. I am sure there is a way to dig it out.
Rant over. The important thing is how fast Tetley is improving.
The weather change is super. Hope it keeps up and the grass grows green. It always makes me nervous worrying about having enough hay to keep the Boys. I don't have tons of grass, even in the best weather so I must always supplement. Luckily, I am close enough to a number of racehorse breeding places that my hay supplier always has hay since he sells to them and the track.
New Jersey also has a good agricultural board and numerous resources to contact if hay supplies become short as they did a year or so ago. Where there is a will, there seems to be a way around here.
well i can't say i's surprised ...this is the rspca we're talking about. and if they didn't see him at the time, then they can't say he was that bad. but really.
now, shall we ask our friends on the forums what they know about beckbrook?
Was kind of expecting that re the RSPCA..seem to hear the same thing time and time again.Plus ive had some personal experience with them and its not been good was hoping it would be different in this case but should have known better!!
But at least Tetley's out of the situation and on the mend..cant wait for the pics.:)
Nicola
but didn't your vet see him when he came home? And he might be doing a bit better but he sure as hell won't be looking like the horse he was........ ughhh and if the yard has such a good rep....why did a starving horse need rescued?
Geeez I dispair at times!
Sadly I am not at all surprised about the RSPCA's response, they are the same here in Oz. They are all foam and fluff and seem to prefer to harass the vulnerable, prosecute the simple-minded and poor, and euthanise rather than rehome. Oh, and forget any action at all if they are expected to move away from a PC viewpoint, even if there is clearly-obvious and very distressing abuse occurring.
Yet they are HUGELY wealthy ...
Michaela
I'm sort of heartened that you are all as annoyed as me :-) I have reported her to the BHS and sent her a personal letter. Feel free to ask people on the boards to watch out for horses at Beckbrook, particularly next winter when it may happen again. But be careful not to libel her or you could find yourself in court!
///but didn't your vet see him when he came home?
No. It had already cost us nearly £1000 to get him back. In spite of hedging my words on here at first I was in no doubt at all that he was not ill. I know the dangers to watch for in feeding up a starved horse, and there was simply no point in paying hundreds more on vets bills at that point. I spoke to him on the phone and he was happy to leave it with me.
////And he might be doing a bit better but he sure as hell won't be looking like the horse he was........
Yes, that's the frustrating bit. It's like having a thief in court say, "oh yes, I thieved a month ago but I'm not thieving now" and letting him go! The trouble is that in this country, animal abuse is all prosecuted by a charity, the RSPCA and not the state. Under the Animal Welfare Act of November 2006 she has almost certainly committed a crime, but finding anyone to prosecute her is impossible and I can't afford a private prosecution, though I'd love to do it.
C
The RSPCA seem such an aggravating organization to deal with. I have yet to hear first hand of a successful outcome to anyone reporting neglect/abuse. However, I have a neighbour who keeps horses and dogs and who is the most wonderful, caring owner you could ever find and yet the RSPCA turned her down when she tried to get a dog from them!!! I think she was turned down on some minor technicality like the height of her garden fence, although she lives down a quiet country lane.
Liz
They were all so young! We saw three inspectors and I wouldn't have thought one of them had the clout to push a prosecution through. The real purler was my vet, just totally unprepared to get involved. Ah well, let's see what the BHS say.
C
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