Horse breeders sing praises of Gypsy cob as Wales brings in new law to tackle strays

By DAMIAN LE BAS

Editor

Above: a skewbald cob with the "coloured"  pattern and feathered fetlocks beloved of Gypsies and Travellers. 

GYPSY cobs are enjoying a high profile in the horse breeding world, just as a new law passed in Wales and aimed at tackling "fly grazing" may have the Gypsy cob breed in its sights.

After the success of traditional cob Tiger Tim in the British Dressage National Championships last year, more riders are being encouraged to consider taking on cobs, known for their versatility and good nature.

Yet the past year has also seen a spate of news articles and petitions urging the authorities to deal with "fly grazing"- or grazing animals on land without permission.

Now, a new law passed in January this year will give councils the power to impound animals left to graze without permission, and to re-home or even destroy them if they see fit.

While the Welsh government's new Control of Horses (Wales) Act 2014 does not refer specifically to cobs, articles about fly-grazing often mention Gypsy cobs or show them in photographs describing the practice.

The Gypsy cob breed is closely tied to the history of Travellers in Britain and the United States. Romanies developed the Gypsy cob for its strength and ability to pull a wagon, but also because it was "coloured". 

In the past, coloured horses- those with a piebald or skewbald, rather than solid, coat- were less likely to be confiscated by the British army, making them sought after among Romanies during the "wagon-time" era. The association with Gypsies gave the breed its name.

Gypsies and Travellers also came to love the bold patterns and fetlocks (or feathered ankles) of the Gypsy cob.

In recent years the breed has become associated with fly-grazing. Last year, the Telegraph made reference to cobs "probably dumped by travellers". Alun Davies, the Welsh Assembly Minister for Natural Resources and Food, also said that most of the animals left to fly-graze were Welsh Gypsy cobs.

The Welsh Government has released a statement (reproduced in full at the bottom of this article) in which it says that "Fly grazing is a problem caused by irresponsible horse and pony owners who leave their animals to graze on land without permission from the tenant or land owner.

"[The new] law will give councils the power to seize, impound, return to the owner, sell, re-home or, as a last resort, humanely destroy horses when they are found abandoned, straying or fly grazing," said the statement.

If the owner of the horse or horses is known to the council, they will have 7 days after impounding to pay costs, or have the matter referred to government ministers.

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FULL STATEMENT ON THE CONTROL OF HORSES (WALES) ACT 2014

From the Welsh Government

The Control of Horses (Wales) Act 2014 became law in Wales in January 2014. The law has been developed because councils, the police and horse welfare charities were seeing an increase in fly grazing, straying and abandonment of horses and ponies across Wales.

Fly grazing is a problem caused by irresponsible horse and pony owners who leave their animals to graze on land without permission from the tenant or land owner .The practice of fly grazing, abandonment and straying is not only a welfare concern but it is also a threat to public safety; creating social, economic and environmental harm in affected communities.

This law will give councils the power to seize, impound, return to the owner, sell, re-home or, as a last resort, humanely destroy horses when they are found abandoned, straying or fly grazing.

Under the new law councils are required to take all reasonable steps to find the owner of the horse and this will include putting up a notice at the place of seizure to explain how to reclaim the animal. Owners will then be with issued with an invoice detailing all the costs incurred. This must either be paid to the council within 7 days or have the issue referred to the Welsh Ministers.

The Welsh Government has been meeting with individuals, groups, organisations and communities from across Wales to explain how the Act will work.

 A meeting with representatives from Gypsy and Traveller Communities took place in January 2014 to discuss how this new law works and the likely impact that the law might have on the culture of horse ownership within these communities.

The issues raised by the community members included:

• The practice of tethering horses on council owned land and whether this would continue under the Act; and
• The lack of suitable available land for community members to graze their horses and ponies.

Tethering is seen as a longstanding practice in some urban areas and has in the main been allowed to continue as long as the welfare of the horse is good and there is no danger of the horse getting loose from its tether to cause a public hazard. In Cardiff, for instance, the council has no intention to seize tethered horses when their owners are looking after them appropriately and they are not causing a nuisance. A licensing system giving ‘permission to graze’ and ‘permission to tether’ is currently being looked at by Cardiff Council and this may prove a useful tool for other local authorities to consider.

It is recognised that horse ownership and breeding is integral to the Gypsy and Traveller culture. The Welsh Government recognises that responsible horse owners from these communities understand that owning a horse is a privilege that carries heavy welfare responsibilities, one of which is to provide a suitable environment to keep the horse safe.

Welsh Government and the Welsh Local Government Association are currently working together to find different solutions to solve the shortage of land issue. For example, in Pembrokeshire, the local authority is aiming to make land that has been earmarked for development available in the short term for the grazing of community horses .

Those present at the meeting were reminded about the legal requirements to identify all horses.  Every horse and pony must have a valid passport which is linked to a microchip, which must be inserted into the animal by a vet. Should a microchipped horse be found straying the microchip will provide the link to the owner and enable that horse to be returned quickly. A number of micro chipping and health and welfare days are currently being planned by local authorities and horse welfare charities across South Wales. If successful, these events could be rolled out to other areas across  Wales to promote good horse welfare practice.