Galwegians Peter Connell and Kevin Bolger backed calls for a national cull scheme and also a free castration scheme to be introduced by the Department of Agriculture.

“Between the welfare cases and the horses for which there is no market, consideration will have to be given to a national cull scheme,” Connell said. “The bottom has really dropped out of the Connemara foal market. Foals are making as little as €100 and €200 at some of the country’s major Connemara sales.