Pony was strangled by tethering rope, court hears
A yearling pony died after being strangled by its tether, Bolton Magistrates Court has heard.
Kyle McClements, aged 19, of Kingsley Street, Halliwell, pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to an animal, after a member of the public rang the RSPCA on 25 May to report the dead pony.
The grey pony, that was tethered to a tree on grassland in Doffcocker, Bolton, suffered an agonising death, an RSPCA inspector told the court on Monday (23 August).
Magistrates sentenced Mr McClements to a 12-month conditional discharge and ordered him to pay £250 prosecution costs.
RSPCA inspector Ben Strangwood, speaking to a local newspaper, said: “This pony suffered an awful death because of the way Mr McClements had tethered it.
“He had little experience of tethering and hadn’t properly considered the terrain or hazards in the area and hadn’t used suitable equipment.
“Anyone tethering their horse must ensure they know what they’re doing.”
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He said the RSPCA does not advocate tethering for long-term management of an animal.
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A self-confessed newshound, farmer’s daughter and journalist of many years' experience, Charlotte worked on regional papers before joining H&H in 2007. A regular rider, she visited Ireland in 2010 to investigate the fate of Irish horses through the recession, to much acclaim, and reported from the FEI General Assembly in Rio de Janeiro in 2011. She left Horse & Hound in March 2013.