A HARROWING case of equine cruelty, involving 41 starving horses found on a Kilkenny farm by the Waterford SPCA and officials from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine in 2018, was adjourned yesterday in court (Friday) to December 14th next for sentencing.

On Wednesday, Gardaí reported the deaths of three horses on the roads in Wexford when they were hit by an SUV (see page 95).

Both of these disturbing incidences show how important it is for full compliance and co-operation with the State’s first inaugural Equine Census which was launched on Monday.

No doubt the vast majority of those who keep equines in the State will comply. Filing your census forms on time with the DAFM will help the Department build up a badly needed more accurate picture of the equine population in Ireland - essential in the case of a serious equine outbreak that could threaten the industry.

There are those who won’t comply of course, who still have not registered as equine keepers and won’t, shrinking back from their duties yet again. Some fear the taxman, others eschew shedding any light on their trading operations, feeling it is better to keep under the radar.

It isn’t - not for them or anyone else with equines on this small island.

Building a fit for purpose equine database is in everyone’s interests. Maybe in time more DAFM grants will become available to registered equine keepers - better to be in than not in!

The deadline for Census forms to be returned to the Department is Friday, December 17th.

RDS joy

Music to our ears came the announcement from the RDS of tickets now on sale for the 2022 Dublin Horse Show. The RDS is gearing up to go all out to welcome Ireland’s only five-star international Show back to Ballsbridge from August 17th-21st next. Get your tickets early!