A woman from East Cowes has been sentenced at the Isle of Wight Magistrates Court this week for causing unnecessary suffering to 2 Clydesdale type horses and failing to ensure the needs were met of some 7 horses in total.
Beverly Knight, 34, of York Avenue pleaded guilty to failing to provide adequate and necessary treatment for problems with the legs and feet of the two Clydesdales and failing to ensure they were protected from pain, suffering, injury and disease by not adequately investigating and treating their poor body condition.
Knight also pleaded guilty to failing to ensure that the needs of 7 horses were met to the extent required by good practice by failing to provide them with a suitable environment.
As exclusively reported by Island Echo, the two Clydesdale horses were seized by Police at Osborne House in East Cowes back in March, following concerns for the welfare of the animals kept at stables there.
The joint operation between the RSPCA, an independent vet and Hampshire Constabulary came about after Osborne House staff raised concerns about the practices of the independent operator of horse and carriage rides at the English Heritage attraction.
Following the discovery, English Heritage terminated the operator’s contract. Under the contract, the operator offered carriage rides at Osborne in return for the free use of the stables and paddocks there. Osborne received no money from the arrangement.
Yesterday (Wednesday) 34-year-old Knight received an 8-week suspended sentence, a life disqualification from keeping horses and was ordered to complete 100 hours of unpaid work plus pay £250 in costs alongside an £80 court surcharge.
RSPCA inspector Mark Buggie said:
“These horses had been left to suffer living in awful conditions. One of the horses was even standing on top of a pile of muck so high that his head was in the rafters.
“The defendant cooperated fully with our investigation and obviously regrets that the situation got as bad as it did.
“This case is a reminder that owning animals can be a big responsibility, both financially and otherwise, and owners have to make sure they can provide for the needs of the animals dependent on them.”
All seven horses have now made a good recovery and found loving new homes.
