A man filmed beating a pony in a supermarket parking lot was banned from keeping animals after the RSPCA found he was being kept in a dirty stall with no food.
Morecambe’s John Reid was caught repeatedly beating the black female pony named Pebbles with a blue plastic rod for several minutes.
He was heard saying “she has to learn” when he struck the yearling horse at least 15 times, the RSPCA said.
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Reid, 31, pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary suffering by repeatedly slapping his pony and failing to meet her needs and has been banned from keeping animals for five years.
The RSPCA opened an investigation after a member of the public recorded that Reid hit the pony on October 10 last year.
Witnesses described Reid hitting Pebbles “violently” with an arm raised above his head, the RSPCA said.
A witness filmed the incident on her cell phone
(Image: RSPCA)
RSPCA inspector Will Lamping paid a visit to the stable where pebbles were kept, where he found the floor covered with horse droppings and ivy, which is poisonous to horses.
Pebbles was underweight, according to the RSPCA, with her shoulders and spine protruding. Her ribs could also be seen.
Inspector Lamping said pebbles had no clean area or litter to stand on and no food available.
She was also seen chewing the wood of her stable, which horses often do when they are not getting adequate nutrition, the RSPCA said.
The RSPCA said Pebbles was underweight when they found her
(Image: RSPCA)
A veterinarian’s report submitted to the court stated: “The stable had no bedding.
“The ground was deeply wet and covered in feces with a number of plastic bags mixed in with the feces.
“This environment was completely unsuitable for a horse because of the unsanitary conditions.
“There was nowhere clean or dry place where the horse could rest comfortably or protect it from the cold, hard stone floor.”
The court found that the stable was “unsanitary” and “completely unsuitable for a horse”.
(Image: RSPCA)
Pebbles was captured by the police and turned over to the RSPCA.
To mitigate this, the court heard that the conditions Pebbles were held in were temporary as Reid intended to resell them.
The judges called the offenses “serious,” the RSPCA said, and Reid will not be able to request an end to his five-year three-year ban.
Reid of Bartholomew Road, Morecambe, was sentenced to 10 weeks ‘imprisonment and 12 months probation in Blackpool Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday November 10th.
He was also fined £ 200 in costs and a sacrifice surcharge of £ 128.
Pebbles is now in the care of the RSPCA and is much healthier
(Image: RSPCA)
After the verdict was pronounced, Inspector Lamping said, “Reid’s actions caused pebbles, pain, fear and suffering both physically and mentally.
“She was very young, and as a yearling, she needed lessons to raise her instead of being reprimanded in such a way.
“Hitting a pony in a way that causes fear and pain can ultimately affect how it learns and interacts with people in the future.”
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