Appleby Horse Fair: RSPCA appeal for information after horse 'worked to death'

Tens of thousands are expected to attend the fair over the next few days. Credit: PA Images.

A horse has died in Appleby as thousands of people prepare for the town's annual fair.

The RSPCA and the Gypsy-Traveller community have condemned the death and are appealing for information in connection with the death..

Gypsy traveller community representatives Billy Welch and Bill Lloyd said: “We condemn in the strongest possible terms whoever has done this.

"If you are in any doubt, please come forward and provide any information you have for the sake of justice and the future of the Fair.

“We are fully supportive of the efforts of the RSPCA and their partner charities to improve the standards of horse welfare, and this is a body blow to all our efforts."

The fair attracts around 30,000 visitors every year, including 10,000 from theGypsy-Traveller community.

“Appleby is one of the greatest celebrations of the horse in Europe and this tragic event is a stain on the Fair that will be hard to wash out."

It’s not known who owned the animal.

Mr Welch and Mr Lloyd added: "We do not yet know the identity of the person responsible and if it was a Gypsy we will condemn them even more strongly and loudly but please do not leap to any conclusions until we know the facts.”

Rob Melloy, Chief inspector at the RSPCA said: "Unfortunately last night we came across a dead horse, the body temperature of the horse was so high that we suspect it died of exhaustion

"Someone has worked that horse to the point where it's dropped down dead."

“This was an inexcusable act of cruelty.

"This incident is a very disappointing way to have started the Fair today, where there are so many examples of good horsemanship, and we know a lot of people will be upset to hear about this."

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