I need some shetland pony advice please ...

[Pocket]

hello
oh i need advice about something that is really worrying me

i pass an area in the about an hour away from where we live where gypsies have settled. there's a grass verge either side of the road i travel down, it's a fast road and very open. each side of the road there are 2 really tiny shetland ponies tied up. there's no shelter for them, theres grass to eat but i see no water or anything else. i drove past last week and (i'm presuming they belong to these gypsies who are very nearby) and there were two young lads standing next to the one pony, they werent doing anything when i drove past but it really un-nerved me. i dont know a lot about horses but i was under the impression that they needed acces to fresh water, shelter, farriering (?sp) etc ............ can someone please tell me if i should report this to the rspca, will they help do you think ?

damn gypsies i've seen programmes on how cruel they can be and i'm so worried that if someone interferes it would make things worse for the ponies

what should i do girls, these ponies are constantly on my mind ? i cant bear to drive past and see them any more and not do anything

[Hazy]

If they don't have access to water then they're not being cared for properly. Do they look healthy? For your own peace of mind a call to the RSPCA might be worth a shot. Probably the ponies are ok but you never know.

[Pocket]

thanks hazy
i cant get very near to them because it's a main road and really fast, no where to pull in, they're up on the verge there, from what i can see their coats look like theyre 'molting ? shedding?' (not sure what the right term is for horses) , but i know there's definetly no water and they're always in the same place tied up and i'm veyr worried about their feet. the area is very exposed, can be very very hot or very cold and windy

i'll ring rspca, i'm just hoping it doesnt antagonise the situation and the ponies end up paying for it. but it's the only option isnt it?

[wotsit]

Are they just tethered there during the day?

I wouldn't worry about their coats cos they're moulting out the winter hair at the mo.
As for their feet, they only need a trim every couple of months.

If they're there 24/7 with no water though, then it does need reporting.

[Fantasseee]

pocket ive generally found gypsies care for their animals. Perhaps not in the same way as you and I might , but in my experience they are rarely cruel as their horses are often seen as currency.

If you are at all worried though you can anonymously report to either the RSPCA National Number or a more local horse organisation. They will then go out and just take a look and see if anything needs doing.

Better to be safe than worry about doing nothing.

[wotsit]

Fants is right. Round here you find fields full of piebald cob ponies which belong to the gypsies.
They're very good horsemen.
There's a big horsefair and sale at Appleby every year where they ride them down the street bareback and wash them in the river. .. an amazing sight!

[Pocket]

hello, thank you both
they are there in all weathers and at all times, that's why i'm so concerned and thank you for the info on the gypsies, i've only seen the bad stuff on the tv

oh what to do, what to do ... i thought as much about the coats molting, i'm just more worried about them being tied up in the same place and i know there's no water or shelter and it's very exposed. i sometimes have to pass there late at night from work so i know they're always in the same place ... i'm also 'presuming' they belong to the gypsies as theyre nearby

fantasseee, now you've mentioned it, i know a local horse sanctuary so i'll give them a call tomorrow for some advice

thank you all

* fantasseee, thank you for your pm i'll definitely post you some pictures (i've just got to find out how to attach them )

[Fantasseee]

Pocket you can upload piccie online and then just link to them, using sites such as www.tinypic.com or www.photobucket.co.

re. ponies, report them to the horse sanctuary and then you will have some peace of mind x