Rogue owners face eviction in stray horses crackdown

A stray horse left to graze garden grass at an Incommunities property A stray horse left to graze garden grass at an Incommunities property

Irresponsible horse owners, who allow their animals to roam dangerously, face eviction from their homes in a tough new crackdown by authorities.

Court injunctions and removal of horses could also hit rogue owners who leave them loose, or tethered to council, housing association or public land.

Police, Bradford Council and Incommunities are working together to strengthen measures to tackle the illegal tethering of horses in the district.

There have been a number of high profile incidents this year.

In May, five-year-old Harlie Thompson suffered a fractured skull when he was kicked by a horse which was illegally tethered near a children’s play area at Buttershaw Beck.

Earlier this month staff at a Bierley primary school expressed concern for the health and safety of pupils after horses were found roaming in the grounds.

Now the Council has appointed a new contractor to impound horses left on its land, and is working with police and Incommunities to use court injunctions to clamp down on illegal tethering.

Steve Hartley, the Council’s assistant director for neighbourhood services, said: “Those owners of horses who look after them and keep them tethered in the right place have nothing to worry about. But those who illegally tether horses and put people at risk need to be aware that we are taking some new measures.

“Anyone who owns horses should make sure they can look after them properly, and not leave them on Council or Incommunities land because that is a danger to local people, and potentially to the horses.”

Peter Newbould, Incommunities’ legal services director, said it could take out possession proceedings to remove people from their properties for breaching their tenancy agreement.

He said: “The knowledge that if you behave irresponsibly with your horse you may be the subject of a court order, or ultimately losing your home, we see as a huge deterrent.

“We are improving the level of response on all fronts – engagement, education, deterrent and enforcement.”

Chief Inspector Damien Miller, of Bradford South Police, said the welfare of the horses was also being looked at and police linked with the RSPCA.

He said: “In the main, owners are co-operative and supportive of what we are trying to do.

“We have more problems in particular areas, like Holme Wood and Fagley. Our Horsewatch co-ordinator, Julie Hansord, works with horseowners to make sure they understand their responsibilities.

“We can only enforce the law on public highways, but we assist our partners at the Council and Incommunities where their land is affected.

“This is a big concern, and at the end of the day, it is anti-social behaviour and that is how it is being treated.”

Comments(21)

Andy2010 says...
12:05pm Tue 30 Oct 12

How does anyone living in a council property afford a horse anyway? Surely if they can afford a horse they should be able to afford the rent?

Albion. says...
12:13pm Tue 30 Oct 12

Andy2010 wrote:
How does anyone living in a council property afford a horse anyway? Surely if they can afford a horse they should be able to afford the rent?
Does it say that they aren't paying their rent?

Yorkshire Lass says...
12:21pm Tue 30 Oct 12

This City is a free for all for anyone who flouts the law. They get away with it because the Council do not know what to do. The owners of these horses are breaking the law and they know it and the situation is getting worse day by day. Its time someone was made an example of what could happen and maybe the rest of the horse owners would tow line like any decent person would do. Stop the kid glove treatment and get the law on our side for a change and make Bradford a better place.

JessWilson says...
12:27pm Tue 30 Oct 12

This must be a crackdown similar to the one on drivers in bus lanes, quadbikes, flytippers, railway yobs, dogs, benefits, metal theft, illegal cabbies http://lmgtfy.com/?q
=thetelegraphandargu
s+crackdown cant wait to see how well it works.

chris & pauline says...
12:40pm Tue 30 Oct 12

i hope the people who are going around checking for loose horse's will be checking the same area at night i'e, around 10.30pm,because they wont be there during the day as they will be out and about pulling carts loaded with scrap!!!!

chris & pauline says...
12:40pm Tue 30 Oct 12

i hope the people who are going around checking for loose horse's will be checking the same area at night i'e, around 10.30pm,because they wont be there during the day as they will be out and about pulling carts loaded with scrap!!!!

Gasmanterry says...
12:47pm Tue 30 Oct 12

At last. The problem as been getting steadily worse over the years. In February my partner driving on Sticker Lane had an untethered horse charge her car and trample all the front then trotted off into the night. It left behind 3 shocked people and an insurance bill of over £12000!! Horse and owner never traced. In parts of Bradford it is like the Wild West and god help you if you complain. For too long some families are a law unto themselves gardens FULL of scrap and burnt junk. Yet if I put one box in my drive I get a council warden threatening card through my door! Stop being scared and soft and sort it out.

Patrick Bateman says...
1:37pm Tue 30 Oct 12

Nice headline. But will owners really 'face eviction' if traced? Somehow I doubt it.

Andy2010 says...
2:19pm Tue 30 Oct 12

Albion. wrote:
Andy2010 wrote:
How does anyone living in a council property afford a horse anyway? Surely if they can afford a horse they should be able to afford the rent?
Does it say that they aren't paying their rent?
Not saying they dont but surely if you can afford to keep a horse you shouldnt qualify for any form of social housing?

My daughter went through a stage of wanting one years ago and when looked into it was way too expensive so how are those in social housing affording it

Albion. says...
2:26pm Tue 30 Oct 12

Andy2010 wrote:
Albion. wrote:
Andy2010 wrote:
How does anyone living in a council property afford a horse anyway? Surely if they can afford a horse they should be able to afford the rent?
Does it say that they aren't paying their rent?
Not saying they dont but surely if you can afford to keep a horse you shouldnt qualify for any form of social housing?

My daughter went through a stage of wanting one years ago and when looked into it was way too expensive so how are those in social housing affording it
I used to keep horses (for showing). These horses are often swapped or bartered for, they have no stables, no vet, and apart from eating whatever they are standing on, they might get a bit of hay in the winter, the cost of ownership will be very little.
You obviously made enquiries as someone who is responsible, and yes, keeping horses properly and humanely is expensive.

puddingandpi says...
2:48pm Tue 30 Oct 12

Owning a horse is like owning a car - you can buy a good car, in good condition, pay the taxes, have the checks done & MOT & maintainence & park it properly or in a garage. Or, you can buy a clapped out banger, park it wherever, have no MOT, no insurance & pay no tax.
You *should* check out the horse, have it vetted before you buy, have land or a stable for it, have it vaccinated, use decent, well-fitting tack, have it's hooves done every 6 - 8 weeks & groom it every day & give it good quality food (there's other stuff; worming, insurance, the dentist...). Or you could acquire some hairy thing for under £100, attach a chain to it, plug it in on the nearest bit of land - broken glass around from burnt out cars, full of dog sh!te, the nearest children's playground - then p!ss off & don't come back until you fancy jumping on & booting it or hitting it to make it run about, usually in front of a girl. No food, no shelter, no rugs, no water, no human contact, no equine contact, no grooming, nothing done with it's hooves, no vaccinations, no vet's attention, no protection from little b@st@rds chucking stones & fireworks & TWOCKing the poor bloody things...and how come they don't have to have passports when everyone else does? DEFRA threatened us with dire consequences if we didn't get our 28 year old, laminitic with Cushing's disease Shetland pony a passport but the tatter's ponies seem to be exempt!

Albion. says...
2:53pm Tue 30 Oct 12

puddingandpi wrote:
Owning a horse is like owning a car - you can buy a good car, in good condition, pay the taxes, have the checks done & MOT & maintainence & park it properly or in a garage. Or, you can buy a clapped out banger, park it wherever, have no MOT, no insurance & pay no tax.
You *should* check out the horse, have it vetted before you buy, have land or a stable for it, have it vaccinated, use decent, well-fitting tack, have it's hooves done every 6 - 8 weeks & groom it every day & give it good quality food (there's other stuff; worming, insurance, the dentist...). Or you could acquire some hairy thing for under £100, attach a chain to it, plug it in on the nearest bit of land - broken glass around from burnt out cars, full of dog sh!te, the nearest children's playground - then p!ss off & don't come back until you fancy jumping on & booting it or hitting it to make it run about, usually in front of a girl. No food, no shelter, no rugs, no water, no human contact, no equine contact, no grooming, nothing done with it's hooves, no vaccinations, no vet's attention, no protection from little b@st@rds chucking stones & fireworks & TWOCKing the poor bloody things...and how come they don't have to have passports when everyone else does? DEFRA threatened us with dire consequences if we didn't get our 28 year old, laminitic with Cushing's disease Shetland pony a passport but the tatter's ponies seem to be exempt!
If you mention things like that, they just deny ownership.

johnhem says...
3:06pm Tue 30 Oct 12

there are on occasion horses at low moor at the bottom of the dual carriageway. i have seen them with blankets on, a bucket close by each one. ehats in the buckets i have no idea because i'm in the car driving past but assume its water and if they are lucky maybe oats. the question is has anyone given permission for them to be there? years gone by the odd horse would be loaned out for people to use in their garden to eat the long grass, the horse got fed and the grass cut, win win. but then i believe someone said it was the wrong type of grass and making the horses ill so that seems to have ended too.
what i can't understand here though is how can the owners be evicted from their homes if the horse is on other land and not breaking any housing rules?

Huneybunch says...
3:33pm Tue 30 Oct 12

They need to come to Holmewood more often, I counted 10 horses in the park near carwood school in 1 day.There is Horse muck on the paths as the owners tether them to lamp posts. If you take your dog out you have to make sure its on the lead at all times. I let my dog off his lead once (as he likes to have a run) and he started barking at the horse, a horse owner that was putting his horse on the park told me that my dog should be on a lead and not allowed to bother the horses, my reply "is this a paddock or park" his "naff off" or words to that effect. This problem will never go away, as the owners just dont care.

collos25 says...
4:47pm Tue 30 Oct 12

Is this clampdown the same as the ones that we had before because if this is the case don't hold your breathe.Bradford councillors have other things to keep their minds occupied running a city to the benifit of its occupants is way down their list.

ANY WHERE BUT HERE says...
5:47pm Tue 30 Oct 12

People may loose there home if they tie up a horse in the wrong place.
What about repeat offenders who burgle the homes around their own area.
Why is'it the council always seem to be looking the wrong way.

-HCK3R- says...
6:33pm Tue 30 Oct 12

Another clampdown ! there was a similar story in the T&A in May this year saying the council was clamping down on owners of these horses and here we are 5 months later with them saying the same thing, when are we going to see some action rather than just words ?

collos25 says...
8:23pm Tue 30 Oct 12

Like I said the city councillors have more pressing things to do.

Dianne2007 says...
1:02am Wed 31 Oct 12

its not fair, last week i met a asian lad in the great horton area of bradford he was galloping a black friesian mare on the main road and there was traffic all over it was about traffic time about 5pm, there was a police vehicle at the side of me and he galloped straight past us, the police officers just laughed as he galloped past, i than saw this young asian man, after 2 days again, same area and the same time, i parked my car on a side street and flagged him down, i told him about the dangers of galloping a horse, he turned around and told me that he has the most experiance horse rider on the main roads in bradford, i than asked him what is he doing with a full grown friesian mare, he told me he kept them as pets, and he had 2 pairs in total 4 friesians. i did not believe him, he was friendly, he took me to his wifes house of a busy road, and there he had in a small tight garden a friesian stallion, and he was riding a friesian mare, i cudnt believe it i asked him about the horse warden julie and he said he didnt care about her as he is keeping his horses up to date with everything, than he took me to his other girlfriends house in a council estate and there in a small garden he had another friesian mare, the most beautiful horses i have ever seen, full size, and then he took me to his parents house and same there in a small back garden he had another stallion full size i could not belive my eyes you might think i am lying, but you could ask the horse warden as she would be aware, and yet till this day, how could a asian lad get away keeping 4 friesians full size in back gardens which are not bigger than 20 foot. and yet i asked him he has had no problem with the authoritys. isnt it against the law keeping horses of this kind in your back garden like a pet dog. i got to say he kept his horses clean and well fed and treated thats the best i could say.... but you need to see this asian lad i forgot his name to believe. he has done some crazy stunts in front of me on horses that i have not yet seen yet till this day. what a small world asian with 4 friesians in his back garden. he also told me that he is racist towards horses and doesnt like any other breed apart from friesians and they have to be all black and over 16hh, what a guy. i fell bad on him telling u about him, but someone needs to go and speak to him and explain to him a back garden in a busy built up area is not a place to keep a horse it needs to be in a field, i have eplained this to him and he says, he doesnt want his horse to get worms or any diseases and he only feeds them hay which he buys in bulk. what a guy and look and his mentallity... dont no what to say.

Albion. says...
6:31am Wed 31 Oct 12

Dianne2007 wrote:
its not fair, last week i met a asian lad in the great horton area of bradford he was galloping a black friesian mare on the main road and there was traffic all over it was about traffic time about 5pm, there was a police vehicle at the side of me and he galloped straight past us, the police officers just laughed as he galloped past, i than saw this young asian man, after 2 days again, same area and the same time, i parked my car on a side street and flagged him down, i told him about the dangers of galloping a horse, he turned around and told me that he has the most experiance horse rider on the main roads in bradford, i than asked him what is he doing with a full grown friesian mare, he told me he kept them as pets, and he had 2 pairs in total 4 friesians. i did not believe him, he was friendly, he took me to his wifes house of a busy road, and there he had in a small tight garden a friesian stallion, and he was riding a friesian mare, i cudnt believe it i asked him about the horse warden julie and he said he didnt care about her as he is keeping his horses up to date with everything, than he took me to his other girlfriends house in a council estate and there in a small garden he had another friesian mare, the most beautiful horses i have ever seen, full size, and then he took me to his parents house and same there in a small back garden he had another stallion full size i could not belive my eyes you might think i am lying, but you could ask the horse warden as she would be aware, and yet till this day, how could a asian lad get away keeping 4 friesians full size in back gardens which are not bigger than 20 foot. and yet i asked him he has had no problem with the authoritys. isnt it against the law keeping horses of this kind in your back garden like a pet dog. i got to say he kept his horses clean and well fed and treated thats the best i could say.... but you need to see this asian lad i forgot his name to believe. he has done some crazy stunts in front of me on horses that i have not yet seen yet till this day. what a small world asian with 4 friesians in his back garden. he also told me that he is racist towards horses and doesnt like any other breed apart from friesians and they have to be all black and over 16hh, what a guy. i fell bad on him telling u about him, but someone needs to go and speak to him and explain to him a back garden in a busy built up area is not a place to keep a horse it needs to be in a field, i have eplained this to him and he says, he doesnt want his horse to get worms or any diseases and he only feeds them hay which he buys in bulk. what a guy and look and his mentallity... dont no what to say.
Most amusing.

collos25 says...
10:12am Thu 1 Nov 12

Been a few days now I wonder how many owners have been traced how many are being evicted and fined.Perhaps the TA (council mouthpiece) is willing to ask the question.

click2find

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