The partnership in Harkstede, under which the breeding farm falls, has been fined 3,000 euros for withholding the necessary care from at least thirteen horses at a horse breeding farm in Grolloo. Half of these are conditional.
During the inspection in May 2021, six horses walked around the pastures with untrimmed hooves. The hooves were chipped, cracked, and in some cases raised. In the stable were another seven mares with badly neglected hooves.
In the stable there was moldy roughage that the horses had to eat. The feed stank and had black spots because it was spoiled. Horses that had just given birth to a foal had to eat it, the judge outlined. The partnership was invited to appear before the economic magistrate on Monday, but no one appeared.
Carers said during the first check in 2021 that they knew that the farrier had to come urgently, but they did not have the authority to engage it. The owner was heard about this. The entrepreneur said that he had indeed engaged a farrier, but for the horses at the company’s location in Donderen.
He would convert this to the location in Grolloo. More than a month later, a second check followed in Grolloo. Seven horses were still walking around with too long and torn hooves. The company was fined 1,500 euros, but protested against this. As a result, the case was taken to court.
“And now no one is coming and we don’t know the reason behind this,” said the judge. Last year in July, the location in Grolloo was inspected again. Once again horses were walking around with too long hooves. “The company has repeatedly failed to get things right,” the prosecutor said. She demanded a fine of 3,000 euros, half of which was conditional.
The partnership has not previously been convicted of such offences. The judge blames the partnership for the animals’ welfare being disadvantaged on several occasions. “The partnership has defaulted and no one comes to explain this. We can guess about the motives”. The punishment is in accordance with the requirement of the Public Prosecution Service.