10-year ban for Walsall man who drove his horse to exhaustion at fair

Joseph Lee Mansell, 23, of Chestnut Road in Walsall, pleaded not guilty at North Cumbria Magistrates Court but after a trial was found guilty, on July 15, of two offences under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 in a case brought by the RSPCA.

The court heard that Mansell had attended the annual horse event in Appleby, Cumbria, last June, with his trotter mare known as Classic Lady.

RSPCA inspectors and welfare officers from a number of other animal welfare organisations including World Horse Welfare and Blue Cross - who attend the event every year - were made aware on June 10 of concerns for the welfare of Classic Lady, who was reported to have collapsed at the event.

The welfare team discovered Classic Lady standing up but very sweaty and breathing heavily, and unsteady on her feet. She was suffering with fresh wounds to her skin from the fall, some of which were still bleeding, and when members of the public offered her water, she quickly drank.

Two specialist equine vets certified Classic Lady to be suffering, and Cumbria Police took her into possession, placing her in the care of the RSPCA.

RSPCA Inspector Carl Larsson said in his witness statement: “[My colleagues and I] were stationed by the River Eden at an area called The Sands when communication was received over our radios that Cumbria Police were requesting assistance with an overworked horse which had been witnessed falling down multiple times on a road called Battle Barrow.