Kevin Roper from Axbridge, Somerset, has been banned from keeping horses for seven years after the RSPCA found his three cob-type horses severely underweight and in urgent need of care. An investigation revealed the horses, two of which were pregnant, had protruding bones and poor health conditions on Roper’s land in Winscombe. Roper admitted to an animal welfare offence and was fined £400 in costs plus a £240 victim surcharge.

RSPCA inspector Kim Walters described the horses as lethargic and visibly emaciated, with ribs, spines, and hip bones easily seen despite their coats. The horses have since been taken to the Bristol rescue charity HorseWorld, where they are recovering, and two have given birth to healthy foals. Roper claimed he loved the horses and was unaware of the severity of their condition.