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Loose Horses by Sussex Farmwatch

I have just put to bed the third edition of Sussex Farm Watch, as I have said before it is almost unbelievable how many times reports come into the police control room of horse/s loose on the road, it averages out to about 3 a day. Often the control room contacts me for help in trying to find the owner, this causes me many hours of (unpaid) work trying to help. This week one of our members found a loose horse and managed to catch it, fortunately she has a piece of rope to hand and managed to make a halter for it, I wont go through the long story attached to this but in the all ended well as the owner was located.
This got our member thinking, she then came up with the idea, "Why don't horse/pony owners paint their telephone numbers on the animals rugs", that way if they escaped it would save lots of time for everyone. OK, I know what many of you will be saying "horses only wear rugs 6 or 7 months a year", that may be so but horses mostly escape in the winter months when there is little grass in their field and when ground is soft and fence posts push over due to very wet ground.
This brings up another story, have you got public liability insurance for your horse, if so does it cover you for straying, please check with your insurer as some do not. Are you aware, if your equine gets onto the highway and an accident occurs you could very well be prosecuted, some settlements run into millions of pounds plus Court costs.
Frightening isn't it.
If you are a Gold Member of the BHS public liability is included in membership.
One last thought, by putting your telephone number on you horses rugs it makes them less likely to be stolen.




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