Six horses have been put down after being found neglected in “dreadful conditions” on a North Wales farm.
The equines were among a group owned by Edward Caulfield, 44, who has been banned from keeping horses for 10 years after appearing in court.
Caulfield, of Bryn Place, Llay near Wrexham, also received a 16-week prison sentence, which was suspended for 18 months, after he was prosecuted by the RSPCA.
Caulfield pleaded guilty to six offences under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 and when he appeared for sentencing at Wrexham Magistrates’ Court on 21 October. He was also ordered to complete 10 Rehabilitation Activity Requirement (RAR) days, undertake 230 hours of unpaid work and pay costs of £2,122.68.
The court heard that when officers from World Horse Welfare visited Yr Ackery Farm at Dark Lane, Rossett, near Wrexham, on 4 December 2024 to conduct welfare checks there were obvious signs that horses were being neglected in “filthy” barns.
Several were underweight and were suffering with dental issues and overgrown hooves as well as skin conditions, while some were lame, and one foal was suffering with respiratory problems.
World Horse Welfare had raised concerns about a number of equines on a previous visit to the farm on 4 November last year, but there was a deterioration in the horses over a month, with a very underweight bay mare and her foal being of particular concern.
“I was shocked as the mare had little to no fat or muscle cover across her body,” said World Horse Welfare officer Rachel Andrews. “Her spine, ribs and pelvis were protruding and her foal’s condition had deteriorated.
“The area in which they were being kept was very dirty, and the ground was a mixture of mud and faeces.”
RSPCA officers joined World Horse Welfare staff and the police the following day (5 December) when the bay mare and foal were seized so they could be seen by a vet.
A chestnut mare and a bay mare, both of whose ribs, spine and pelvis were visible, another chestnut mare and a small bay mare suffering with facial swellings were also removed from the farm.
The bay mare, who had a parasite infection, later collapsed and was put to sleep by an on-call vet. Her foal was struggling to breath because of a neck swelling which had narrowed the trachea and a vet, who examined her a week later, decided that the kindest course of action was to put the foal to sleep.
One chestnut mare was suffering with lameness and dental issues, while a bay pony had a parasite infection and the other chestnut mare was lame and suffering with overgrown hooves. The sixth equine, a bay mare, was suffering with very overgrown hooves and dental and eye problems. A vet decided that the kindest thing was for all these four equines to be put to sleep.
The vet concluded that the defendant had failed to provide proper veterinary and farrier care, parasite treatment, dental care as well as an adequate diet and a suitable environment for all six equines.
In mitigation the court was told that the defendant, who it was said was a horse trader, had been experiencing personal problems as his wife and father had been ill.
The defendant also will have to pay a £154 victim surcharge.
Speaking after the sentencing, RSPCA Inspector Hogben, who investigated, said: “These horses were found in dreadful conditions with various health problems, but their owner failed to take heed of the advice given to seek out vet treatment and their conditions deteriorated further.”
World Horse Welfare Director Malcolm Morley urged anyone considering selling a horse to think very carefully about where they may end up.
“We see all too many cases where formerly-ridden horses have ended up in situations where their welfare has suffered,” he added.
