'The worst is yet to come': Fears there could be more dumped or dying horses in Bucks

Animal lovers were horrified earlier this year when there were two separate reports of ponies being dumped "like rubbish" in Little Chalfont and Beaconsfield.

And the RSPCA has said a "second wave" of the equine crisis could be on the horizon if we plunge into a global recession after the coronavirus pandemic.

In 2019, the RSPCA received 218 reports about horses in Bucks.

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And in lockdown - between March and May 2020 - they have received 28 calls about horses in the county.

It comes after a dead horse with her legs tied together was dumped at the side of the road in Twitchells Lane, Beaconsfield, on February 1.

And the emaciated body of a young pony was callously left at the side of the road in Stony Lane, Little Chalfont, on March 15.

Equine welfare charities are already under immense strain, following the horse crisis which was sparked off by the 2008 financial crash - and the sector is "extremely concerned" about the welfare repercussions for horses in the months ahead with an estimated 7,000 horses at risk of suffering.

The RSPCA is appealing for vital donations to help it prepare for an influx of horses and ponies desperately in need of help.

Christine McNeil, the charity’s national equine inspectors co-ordinator said: “This is a truly worrying time for equine charities - we still haven’t got a handle on the repercussions of the current horse crisis, and it now looks like the worst is yet to come.

“In April 2011, before the effects of the financial recession had hit, the RSPCA had 290 horses in its care, already more than our official stables could house.

"The following year, the impact of the crisis really began to hit and our officers were called out every day up and down the country to neglected and abandoned horses.

"By May 2012, the number of horses in our care had leapt to 600. Fast-forward to today, and we’re caring for 927 horses - that’s three times the amount since the crisis hit, and we strongly fear that the impact will be even worse this time round.

“With such a huge number of horses in our care, and so many in private boarding, at great cost, we have already had to adapt how we try to help as many horses as we can.

"For example, several ‘herds’ of horses in need are being cared for in situ with our officers visiting regularly to feed and care for them, until we can find spaces in one of our centres for them, or funds to transport them to private boarding."

ALSO READ: Dead pony dumped in Little Chalfont like 'rubbish'

The current horse crisis is thought to have been sparked by continued overbreeding, coupled with falling demand for some types of horses, which left a surplus of unwanted animals which have been left dumped like rubbish, sometimes extremely sick or dying, leaving equine charities bursting at the seams with these abandoned animals.

The RSPCA has been working alongside the Blue Cross, Bransby Horses, British Horse Society, Redwings, The Donkey Sanctuary and World Horse Welfare, in a bid to tackle this national crisis. Many of these charities have seen their income plummet while still continuing to look after the horses in their care.

Christine added: “The public’s help is absolutely vital to keep the RSPCA afloat during this extremely difficult time. We can’t stress how much we need loving homes for our horses and ponies, and we are urging those with experience of horses to please consider rehoming one of our wonderful rescue horses.

"Last year (2019), we rehomed 242 horses and ponies to loving new homes, with many going on to become superb children’s riding ponies, happy hacking horses, fantastic project youngsters, and wonderful retired companions.”

To help the RSPCA keep rescuing horses, providing them with essential veterinary care, rehabilitation, and finding them new homes through these unprecedented times, please donate whatever you can spare at www.rspca.org.uk/covid