Two Hawkes Bay residents have been sentenced today in Hastings District Court for failing to provide protection against injury or disease for four horses and failing to provide sufficient water for three more horses.

Having both pleaded guilty to multiple charges, one offender was sentenced to 200 hours community work and the other to 100 hours community work. Both were disqualified from owning equids (horses, asses, and donkeys et al) for a period of five years.

“The state of these horses brings tears to the eyes,” says SPCA Chief Executive, Todd Westwood.

“The pain will have been constant and inescapable.”

After a call from a concerned member of the public an SPCA Inspector attended a property on 6 January 2023 and found seven miniature horses grazing in a paddock with overgrown grass, tall thistles, and shrubs.

There was no water provided for the horses.

The Inspector gave water to the horses which they drank rapidly and to excess.

The Inspector noted four of the seven horses had severely overgrown hooves curled upwards at the toes. The horses were reluctant to move and their ability to work normally was compromised.

The Inspector removed the four horses from the address for veterinarian examinations.

It was found that all horses showed symptoms of dehydration and were lame from chronic laminitis. Some of their hooves were split, adding to their intense and unnecessary pain.

The vet concluded that the horses suffered from severe and chronic neglect.

“The unrelenting pressure building behind their hooves makes me feel nauseous just thinking about it” Westwood says.

“Horses need to have their hooves trimmed regularly by an experienced farrier. Overgrown hooves and laminitis are unbearably painful and limit horses’ ability to stand, walk and move. It’s clear the people responsible for their care and nurturing had failed to provide for their basic needs.”

Over the ensuing five months, 12 re-inspections at the address revealed the three remaining horses did not have enough water.

On 30 May 2023, the three horses were removed from the property.

The offenders were also ordered to pay reparations of $4,761.07 and $800 towards legal costs.

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