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jackiedo
Gold Member
England
1370 Posts |
 Posted - 24 Feb 2012 : 6:16:25 PM
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I am finding it hard to believe the link on IH re Lesley Skipper's horses. Does anyone know the truth please?
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Pashon2001
Platinum Member
3575 Posts |
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jackiedo
Gold Member
England
1370 Posts |
Posted - 24 Feb 2012 : 6:20:44 PM
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| If it is true I am shocked. I am hoping that it is a case of not knowing when to let old friends go, as I know she has some old horses. She has Zareeba and Kruger, Zarello's brothers, who are a year and 2 years younger than her. Zarello looks well enough, but I know some horses age better than others |
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Pashon2001
Platinum Member
3575 Posts |
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Elainem
Silver Member
United Kingdom
439 Posts |
Posted - 24 Feb 2012 : 6:36:59 PM
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It is such a shame that people still find it difficult to ask for help.You only have to look at recent activity on here and facebook to realise that there are people willing to help if they are made aware of the situation.
I do know that Lesley has health problems but I'm sure if they had asked people would have rallied round and tried to help. |
E Mann
www.northernarabianhorse.com |
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jackiedo
Gold Member
England
1370 Posts |
Posted - 24 Feb 2012 : 6:38:11 PM
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| I am so sad for all concerned. Elaine - do you know how Zareeba and Kruger are please? |
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Elainem
Silver Member
United Kingdom
439 Posts |
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guisburn
Gold Member
United Kingdom
562 Posts |
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Zareeba
Bronze Member
62 Posts |
Posted - 25 Feb 2012 : 09:04:55 AM
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Hi all,
The situation is very complicated and obviously I can't say too much at this stage (it may not be resolved by the end of the month). I would just ask the question: does anyone really believe that the RSPCA only prosecute guilty people, that they never exaggerate a situation to justify a prosecution, or that they and their witnesses invariably tell the truth? Bear in mind that a few years ago the RSPCA were found guilty of conspiring to pervert the course of justice. All I will say is that we have the full support of our own vet (one of the country's most senior and well-respected horse vets) and farrier. I'll say no more about it except to reassure people that all the other horses are fine, Zareeba and Kruger included.
As soon as I am able to let you know the truth about this I will do so. In the meantime, I'd urge anyone with older horses, or any horses with ongoing health problems (even if they are under veterinary care) to be extra vigilant. If there is anyone out there who still believes the RSPCA to be a benevolent society, perhaps the following lnks will open people's eyes: http://the-shg.org/ and http://rspcainjustice.blogspot.com/2010/09/concerns-raised-over-rspca-relationship.html |
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jackiedo
Gold Member
England
1370 Posts |
Posted - 25 Feb 2012 : 09:14:27 AM
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| thank Goodness Lesley, some horses do age better than others I know. I am so pleased to hear from you and wish you all the best. A good friend of mine was prosecuted by the RSPCA a few years ago due to a very old mare (in her 30's now) who had problems with her mouth. She kept getting ulcers on her gums and lost a lot of weight and her teeth were a little loose. Whereas April, who had no teeth at all had a comfortable mouth and did better. My friend's vet backed him and he still lost, (RSPCA vet disagreed) so he gave in, purely because of the costs of appealing (never known costs awarded against RSPCA) but this horse is still here, and yes, she is old, and deaf, and drools... but is happy and in no pain and even though she is not economical at all, I am so glad to hear from you Lesley. Thank God you are OK |
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zaminda1
Bronze Member
177 Posts |
Posted - 25 Feb 2012 : 09:50:33 AM
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I wish I could say I had faith in the RSPCA but I don't. I have come across several cases where they have done things that were detrimental to the long term welfare of the horse, like browbeating one woman into trotting u pher pony which had a fractured pelvis and was cross tied whilst it was healing. <oving the pony had a rather negetive effect!
There have been so many strange cases with them i feel they should lose the royal at the begining |
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Zareeba
Bronze Member
62 Posts |
Posted - 25 Feb 2012 : 09:54:17 AM
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| They have some peculiar double standards too - can't say more at this point but hopefuly all will come out in the end. |
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Pop
Platinum Member
England
3051 Posts |
Posted - 25 Feb 2012 : 10:09:43 AM
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Did anyone see the series on the ILPH. I found it quite significant, that on the occasions in the series where the ILPH called in the RSPCA, vet and Police, the representative from the RSPCA stood around looking confused and hopeless and was ignored by the vet. It was very clear by the body language, lack of communication and vacant expression of the RSPCA persons face that she was nothing but a spare part and just in the way. The cameraman caught some very interesting expressions.
I have never heard anything other than the RSPCA are a disgrace as far as equine knowledge is concerned. I would just love to see their equine training course for staff members.
On the other hand, I have considerable respect for the ILPH. |
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FreyaG
Bronze Member
England
98 Posts |
Posted - 25 Feb 2012 : 10:10:32 AM
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| Thank you , Lesley/Zareeba for updating { as much as you can } re the very worrying situation you and your husband find yourselves facing. I recently bought your very beautiful and informative new book and could not /cannot square how an individual with so much knowledge could be the subject of an animal cruelty prosecution. The links you posted revealing RSPCA policies/practices are shocking. Wishing you a positive and just outcome to your nightmare and so relieved that your horses are O.K. |
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barbara.gregory
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
4531 Posts |
Posted - 25 Feb 2012 : 10:25:38 AM
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I don't propose to comment on this thread except to say that ILPH (now WHW) and RSPCA visited my property 6 times (three each) in 2010 due to my neighbour trying to cause trouble. I assume she was eventually warned off as a malicious caller as the visits stopped.
However, my point is that WHW looked at my horses from the public footpaths which run round my fields whereas on all 3 occasions the RSPCA trespassed on my land despite the fact that they could easily have inspected the horses by going on the footpaths. On the third occasion when I asked if they had been on my land (I knew they had as they were seen on my property while I was at work) the officer said that he was and that he didn't think I would mind as he had been told the horses didn't ever have water but that they all had. I replied "I didn't think that you were legally allowed to enter my property without my permission unless you were accompanied by the police". There was a long pause and the officer then said "I didn't think you would mind" so I said "I didn't the first twice but it is becoming a habit, the law applies to you as well as me and you could easily have seen the horses from the footpaths. In fact, if you had called to them they would have come over to you to be fussed". I haven't had a visit since even though I know that my lovely neighbour has got others to ring the RSPCA!
Barbara |
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Callisto
Platinum Member
6905 Posts |
Posted - 25 Feb 2012 : 11:44:53 AM
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| I can't say that I have much respect for the RSPCA. I hope this case is resolved fairly. |
  Zahkira (GR Amaretto x Taffetta)
Linda
East Sussex |
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jacjac
Junior Member
44 Posts |
Posted - 25 Feb 2012 : 11:51:37 AM
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| I had a friend who was an inspector with the RSPCA and she had not a lot of animal training but tons of how to deal with humans ..... Do they really know what they are looking for or even looking at, just a thought? |
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Zareeba
Bronze Member
62 Posts |
Posted - 25 Feb 2012 : 12:16:00 PM
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The trouble is that the RSPCA are now a political organisation, with an animal rights agenda. They have only just managed to hang on to their charitable status. There are no checks and balances, such as there are with the police. The latter can only bring prosecutions through the Crown Prosecution Service - and quite right too. Similarly, in Scotland the SPCA have to refer all prosecutions to the Procurator Fiscal (the equivalent of the CPS), which has resulted in a much fairer system. None of this applies to the RSPCA - if they had to refer all their cases for prosecution to the CPS I think the numbers would fall dramatically, because the CPS have strict guidelines that the RSPCA trample all over with their jackboots.
I have no doubt that there are many RSPCA officials at grassroots level who do a good job - but there are also far too many wannabes who glory in their police-style uniforms (can you think of any other organisation that would get away with what almost amounts to police impersonation?) and their meaningless police-style titles and use them to intimidate people, especially those who lack the knowedge to defend themselves? Sometimes they do get the real villains, but all too often they target the soft options - the sick, the disabled and the elderly. http://www.disabilitynow.org.uk/living/features/hounded
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hazelcat74
Silver Member
472 Posts |
Posted - 25 Feb 2012 : 12:54:32 PM
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| At a previous yard a livery reported a horse there as it was obese and just left in the field, its owners didnt know what they were doing and were hardly ever seen. When the RSPCA woman turned up I was the only one there, she actually asked me if I knew how to take the rug off to look at the horse, and asked my opinion as to whether it was too fat! In other words she didnt know what she was doing. Not heard anything good about them at all. |
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MinHe
Platinum Member
England
2927 Posts |
Posted - 25 Feb 2012 : 6:26:01 PM
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They may be good with cats and dogs, but with horses they are hopeless. I have had an inspector (who previously had given me a hard time about a serial strip-artist being unrugged) ask ME for advice!
Keren |
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BOULTONS
Silver Member
United Kingdom
380 Posts |
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Zareeba
Bronze Member
62 Posts |
Posted - 25 Feb 2012 : 8:28:46 PM
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I can pnly rpepat
I can only repeat what I said above. This is trial by media and we have not even had a chance to put our defence as yet. I only hope the truth will come out eventually, but be assured that things are not wht they might seem from that report!
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sab2
Platinum Member
8467 Posts |
Posted - 25 Feb 2012 : 9:15:45 PM
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I dislike the RSPCA , they tend to hit on the easy targets, they also have so much money invested and not in the animals.
Zareeba i wish you well and hope there is a happy outcome to this story.There are two sides to every story as we all know.
As Keren says they may be good with cats and dogs but sadly when it comes to horses they are very lacking, my friend had a few visits from them because some do gooder thought her animals should have rugs on and they came and checked , only to find very fat healthy ponies. Then recently another friend has rung them 3 times about a starving dog and they are still to do a homecheck, maybe when its died they will do something   |
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Barribarrs
Bronze Member
Scotland
212 Posts |
Posted - 25 Feb 2012 : 9:42:10 PM
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| I had a visit from the SSPCA last week. Someone reported me for having a foal in a muddy field, on it's own, unrugged, with no food. I have 2 foals in a field with their mums. 8 in another field, one is a yearling, and my 3 boys in another field. My yearling had slipped out of his rug so I can only assume that this is the one but the 7 others must have had rugs of invisibility on at the time! And the 4 big round bales of haylage and 3 big round bales of hay in that field alone must have been hiding when they went past! The inspector didn't even go near my horses - he was allergic to horses so just as well they didn't have to be rescued - nor was he interested in taking up my offer of visiting my feed store or coming back when my farrier and vet were there. I got a lecture on how to care for horses - he had been on a week's course on how to care for them, he told me quite proudly - and I got drivebys every day until I called them and said that if they wanted to check my horses, come and see them rather than drive by slowly. I had reason to contact the RSPCA a couple of years ago. I purchased a horse from Kent, who got ill the night before she was due to travel and the old owner shoved her in a stable and refused to let vets near her (I was paying for vets to visit). She'd let the horse, who'd been stuck in a stable away from other horses because she was ill, into a 20 acre field whenever the vets visited so obviously the horse didn't want to be caught. The vet was concerned about her - she was incredibly thin and we weren't sure what was wrong with her - so I contacted the RSPCA thinking that with the vet's confirmation that this horse was ill and malnourished and had to be treated, they would visit the yard with the vet to make it an official visit, lend some weight to the situation. I was told that they couldn't intervene. There was a horse starving, she had open sores on her body and strangles and they would do nothing. But they'll go visit over a horse with no rug?! |
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honey
Platinum Member
N. Ireland
2634 Posts |
Posted - 25 Feb 2012 : 10:12:18 PM
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| i dislike the rspca also. we used to get visits all the time from the rspca as neighbours were being spiteful wasting there time and ours. About every 6 months or so for a few years. Obviously the officer could see there was nothing wrong with the 13 horses in our care. Hope this is sorted and the rspca don't win. Every horse gets old and can loose weight through illness ect They alwasy seem to pick on the easy targets where there is no case of neglect but maybe just something to get them highlighted and in the news. |
    
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Kharidian
Platinum Member
England
4297 Posts |
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what is happening?
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