A woman has been banned from keeping animals for life after a horse in her care was put down after he did not receive adequate care.
Victoria Jane Todd, of Walton Street, Gawber, appeared at Barnsley Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday, 12 November. She was accused of offences involving a thoroughbred horse, called Dado Mush, who was kept in a field in Elsecar.
She admitted three offences involving the 12-year-old horse.
(Image credit: creditUnknown)
“This poor horse was in a terrible state when we were first called back in February this year,” said RSPCA inspector Keira Benham.
“He was severely underweight, had rain scald and mud fever and a number of really sore ulcers in his mouth. There was no doubt he was in a lot of pain and a vet confirmed that he was suffering.”
Todd was handed an 18-week prison sentence, which was suspended for two years, banned from keeping all animals for life and ordered to pay £2,080 costs.
The court heard that Todd committed three offences under section 4 of the Animal Welfare Act 2006, by causing unnecessary suffering to the horse.
Horse & Hound Newsletter
Never miss out on the latest happenings in the equestrian world
The offences included failing to investigate and address the causes of the horse’s poor body condition and weight loss, and failure to provide him with dental care, hoof care and treatment for lice and rain scald.
The horse was removed by the police on 11 February and placed into RSPCA care. Inspectors took him straight to a vet, where he received extensive treatment and care. Around 10 days later he was put down.
“Sadly he was so exhausted that once he got down to rest, he could not get back up and after developing colic later that evening, the vets decided the kindest thing to do was to put him to sleep to prevent him from suffering further,” added an RSPCA spokesman.
Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now
A graduate of Exeter University, Amy joined our news team from Redpin Publishing in 2008 as news writer. She was promoted to deputy news editor in May 2013 and became news editor in April 2015. She left Horse & Hound in March 2016 to take up an editorial position in Dubai.
