The owner of horses that were found emaciated amongst a collapsed colt has pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to animals in his care

Horse dealer, Joe John Junior Taylor of Blunts Drove, off Fen Road, West Walton, changed his plea to guilty half way through his case.

He has been ordered to undertake 270 hours of community service and was fined £1,353 which he has been ordered to pay within 28 days.

He also received a deprivation order on the two ponies currently in the care of World Horse Welfare.

Those ponies have now been signed over to the charity.

In the first half of 2013, Downham Market Police called World Horse Welfare field officer, Jacko Jackson, to alert the charity of some horses tethered in Church Bank, Marshland, Fen End who appeared to be suffering.

When Jacko got to the scene he found five tethered native cob youngsters - one of the colts had collapsed.

Jacko says: “I called a vet as soon as I received the information as four of the five were in emaciated condition and sadly the colt that had collapsed had to be euthanised on the spot.”

The other three horses Ethel, Mavis and Peter were removed under section four of the Animal Welfare Act and taken to World Horse Welfare’s Rescue and Rehoming Centre at Hall Farm in Norfolk the same day.

Mr Taylor admitted straight away to owning the two fillies over which he was prosecuted but ownership of the colts could not be established so Peter’s future was already secured.

Jacko said: “I’m hoping that this case will send a signal out to horse owners in the Marshland area to improve on the care of their animals.”

Ethel, Mavis and Peter are still undergoing rehabilitation with World Horse Welfare before they can be rehomed.

World Horse Welfare is an international horse charity that improves the lives of horses in the UK and worldwide through education, campaigning and hands-on care of horses.

Founded in 1927 a network of field officers investigate and resolve welfare problems.

The charity runs four Rescue and Rehoming Centres where horses in need can receive specialist care, undergo rehabilitation and find loving new homes through a rehoming scheme, the largest of its kind in the UK.