IAN REIDY CONVICTED IN HEREFORD FOR HORSE NEGLECT

Ian Mark Reidy, born on October 1, 1989, and residing at 32 Springfield Avenue, Hereford HR2 7JH, was convicted in 2020 for neglecting his horse. His 11-year-old gelding, known as Brownie, was left to suffer with a broken leg for two months.

The RSPCA investigated after receiving a tip-off about a severely injured and untreated horse. Inspector Suzi Smith described the condition of Brownie: “Initially it appeared Brownie had collapsed. He seemed unable to get up. The foot was worn at the toe from the continued dragging of it over the weeks. He was wearing a thick rug in warm weather.

“Once we did get him up, he was non-weight bearing on the front leg. Upon removal of the rug, it was clear he was underweight with muscle atrophy around the broken leg, which had wasted away from disuse. A pressure sore was present on his hock due to excessive lying down caused by pain.

“An x-ray revealed his elbow was shattered into three pieces. Veterinarians determined it was too late for surgical intervention.”

The court heard that Reidy had initially contacted a veterinarian about Brownie’s injury but refused to follow their advice. He repeatedly dismissed their attempts to check on the horse, telling them he was improving instead of seeking urgent treatment.

Reidy was sentenced to a 12-week prison term, ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £122, and was banned from owning any horses for life. The court also issued a seizure order for his remaining horses, although Reidy claimed he had already given them away.