A man from Kent has received a six-year ban from keeping horses after he pleaded guilty to two animal welfare offences.
Ted Lee of Polhill Park, Sevenoaks admitted neglecting a 22-year-old horse who was found in a field with a body condition score of just 0.5 out of five.
Lee was disqualified from owning all animals for six years at Medway Magistrates Court on Friday 14 August. He was also given a Community Order including 80 hours unpaid work and was ordered to pay costs of £1,000.
Emaciated mare
In August 2025, the RSPCA was contacted about concerns for the welfare of a mare in a field near Old Orford Road in Sevenoaks.
Despite RSPCA officers leaving notices outlining what improvements needed to be made and attending the site to monitor the horse, they saw no further changes by Wednesday 20 August.
Officers then contacted an equine vet to assess the mare who confirmed that she would need to be removed for veterinary treatment. Kent Police seized the mare and placed her into the care of the charity.
The horse was underweight, had minimal to no grazing in the field and a clinical examination revealed abnormalities and wobbliness of her teeth.
The vet’s witness statement noted the considerable weight loss that the mare experienced could be over a matter of weeks, but it is possible that it was over several months, given the pain she would have been suffering from due to her dental issues and her advanced age.
‘Very tough’
“It was very tough for our rescuers to see an older mare in such a poor state of health and condition,” said an RSPCA spokesperson.
“It’s essential that horse owners keep on top of their animals’ health by consistently monitoring their food and nutrition intake and ensure regular dental check-ups from a qualified person.”
In mitigation, the court was told that Lee was 17 years old at the time of the offences, and the water trough was empty because there was a stream running through the field.
Image © RSPCA.
