Filthy stables lead to horse ban

The court heard the horses were kept in filthy conditions

A horse nutritionist who left animals at her failing stud farm without food and in filthy stables has been banned from keeping them for two years.

Suzanne Wynne Jenkins looked after 49 horses at the stables in in Aston Ingham Road, Kilcot, Gloucestershire, magistrates in Coleford heard.

She let around a quarter fall into an "extremely poor and distressing state".

Jenkins, 33, who has an Equine Science degree, was convicted of three charges of causing unnecessary suffering.

She was also found guilty of four charges of poor husbandry but cleared of a fifth husbandry charge.

After the verdict, the RSPCA revealed that Jenkins, who now lives in Cadiz, Spain, was under investigation in that country after "at least" 16 horses were found dead on her land in Medina Sidonia.

That case made the UK one "pale into insignificance", an RSPCA spokeswoman said.

'Had passion'

The ban does not apply abroad so Jenkins can continue to work her European business, where it is believed she keeps around 38 horses.

District Judge David Parsons said that while he had no doubt that Jenkins had a "passion for horses" she was "overwhelmed" by the task of running such a large stables.

With her background and qualifications she had little excuse for such an understaffed and "poorly-run yard", he said.

Jenkins was also fined £600, and told to pay an extra £400 costs.

She has also lost five horses under a Deprivation Order.

Judge Parsons said: "Whilst I understand and admire your ambition I found that apart from the attraction of profit, you gave very little thought to a constructive business plan."

During the trial, prosecutor David Glass said Jenkins owned 60 horses in total, with 11 kept at another farm in Devon.

Concerns about the conditions were raised earlier in the year when a prospective buyer of the farm came down from Devon to visit the premises, a district judge was told.