Emaciated pony found in stream thought to have died while searching for water
An emaciated pony found dead in a stream is thought to have fallen in while in search of water.
Owner Harriet Midgley, of York Place, York Street, Brighouse, West Yorkshire, has been banned from keeping equids for life after the “horrible” circumstances in which her pony Pip was found.
The 26-year-old had pleaded guilty to one Animal Welfare Act offence at a hearing on 30 April, and was sentenced on 10 July by Kirklees magistrates, who described Pip’s circumstances as “horrible”.
The court heard the RSPCA was called in after the 12-year-old Shetland’s body was found in the stream at Wood Bottom Lane, Brighouse, on 11 January 2024.
RSPCA Inspector Adam Dickinson, who went to the scene the next day, gave a written statement to the court. He said the field was covered in snow and ice, and there were hazards including barbed and razor wire, sharp, rusty fragments of metal and broken fence posts.
“Several trees had teeth/gnaw marks where the bark had been stripped,” he said, adding that bins used to store horse feed appeared “quite old” and there was a “strong, unpleasant smell” coming from them.
“This is an area where there was once a pig barn,” he said. “Several hazards were present, and the floor was very unsteady, with lots of gaps and areas where an animal could become stuck or fall through. The floor was completely covered in faeces and was approximately 10cm thick for the most part, some areas 20 to 30cm deep.”
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Mr Dickinson said there was an empty bucket and an empty haynet, and that a supporting beam and some fence panels appeared to have been gnawed.
“The area of the beck where Pip was found could not be accessed any other way than down the bank,” he said. “This was down a seven to eight-metre drop and a gradient of approximately 70 degrees. You could see the flattened vegetation and it appeared that Pip had fallen down the bank, rather than walked.”
The RSPCA spokesperson said there were seven buckets and a large tub in two other “hazard-strewn” areas but all were frozen solid, and the only accessible water was in the stream in which Pip was found dead.
“The court heard the grey Shetland, who was taken to an equine crematorium, was in very poor bodily condition,” an RSPCA spokesperson said. “His spine, ribs and hips were visibly prominent and there was a small wound above his left eye. Pip’s shoulders, neck and head were all stained brown from where he had been submerged under water.”
The spokesperson said the court heard other people had raised concerns with Midgley about the fencing, lack of grazing and unsuitable environment “but offers of help were refused multiple times”.
“Following snowfall on 5 January, no footprints were seen in the field afterwards, and Midgley confirmed to someone else that she had not been out to feed Pip since,” the spokesperson said. “CCTV showed the Shetland had been provided with hay by a member of the public on 30 December before the pony was discovered dead 13 days later.”
A vet who gave written evidence said it was unclear whether Pip was alive when he went into the stream, and drowned, or had died before he went in.
“It is likely from the evidence of Adam Dickinson that the pony fell from the top of the banking due to the environment in that area on his arrival,” the vet said.
“The stream was the only available water source for a number of days and so it is highly likely the pony was trying to access it. The pony was in an emaciated state and as such, he would have been far too weak to traverse a bank as steep as that.
“I cannot confirm this was the absolute scenario that led to the pony being found dead within the stream, but given the circumstances of the environment and the emaciated condition of the pony it seems highly probable.
“However, there is clear and consistent evidence that the pony was in an emaciated condition and that the cause of this was likely primary malnutrition over many weeks. The pony was visually and obviously underweight in July 2024, as demonstrated by photographs, and therefore the owner had more than ample time to respond to his failing health.”
The vet said Midgley had failed to provide an adequate diet, suitable environment and appropriate veterinary care and had neglected “the most basic aspects of equine ownership”, which had led Pip to suffer, the spokesperson said.
“In interview with the RSPCA, Midgley said Pip had never looked as thin to her as he did in the image she was shown when he was found. She said he looked to be losing weight about two to four weeks before she last saw him but that he was fed often. Apart from an initial visit, he had not seen a vet in the time she had owned him and she saw no reason to, the court was told.”
In mitigation it was said that Midgley had provided “well-intentioned but incompetent care”. The court heard she had a “deep love of horses” and was well thought of at the premises where she had previously kept equines.
Midgley was also given an 18-month community order and must carry out 270 hours of unpaid work. She was ordered to pay costs of £750 and a victim surcharge of £114. She will not be able to contest the ban for 10 years.
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Eleanor is an experienced journalist who spent over eight years working for local and national newspapers before joining H&H as news editor in March 2016. Passionate about equine welfare and exposing the truth, Eleanor has reported on all aspects of the industry, from Brexit to anti-bullying campaigns, and from dressage rules to mules. Her sport of choice is showjumping, in which she competes her own horses, and she also enjoys reporting at local jumping shows through to international championships.