Very bad people steeling horses up date. Your help is needed URGENTLY.

Just a quick follow up to let you know that this case is still going - we have not got an additional charge of cruelty on the kids and the next court hearing is the 29th April. 

A lawyer has been helping too on this and she has recommended that the more public awareness the better - the two suggestions she has is that on the date of the court that we get people to picket outside the court rooms with banners etc to put pressure on the magistrate and of course to get media coverage so that the story is still in the public awareness. 

In addition she has suggested that we arrange a march with horses through the town closer to the trail date to show that we are not going to tolerate this and that will also help with public pressure to get a conviction.

I thought to contact you as you do have a good database of horsey people in the area and as much as picketing etc is not something I ever expected to see myself doing, it is necessary to get the pressure on.  I have the support of the SPCA pro lady who is going to round up volunteers as well as Cart Horse and was wondering if you would be interested to support this as well?  Or even if you able to send out a mailing to everyone to see who would be willing to get involved?

Thanks so much and look forward to hearing from you.

All the best,

Anthea


Anthea Myburgh
Travel UNITE
Tel: +27 21 850 0825 Fax: +27 (0) 86 678 2164
Mobile: +27 83 655 8328
Email: anthea@travelunite.com
Web: www.travelunite.com
 

Dear All, especially those who have horses.

There are a gang of youths from Macassar that find their fun at weekends by targeting a certain field where the horses are turned out, looping them up to I don't even want to know - probably wire in their mouths, and riding the horse hard back to Macassar. Then for the duration of the weekend, the horse will be stripped of it's mane and tail, ridden literally to death and if it doesn't go fast enough, stabbed several times anywhere in it's body to make it go faster. As far as food or water goes, that probably does not happen.

A friend of mine who had two horses, retired, in her field on Vergenoed Farm, one was a Shetland and the other was a retired grey of about 16 years. They tried to take both. The Shetland was too feisty, although he also had severe lacerations to his mouth, but the other did not fare as well. This was on Cape Talk yesterday on the John Maytham show, Mike Wills standing in.

My friend had no clue where the 16 year old grey horse had gone, she phoned and drove everywhere without any luck, and worried herself sick all of last weekend. Monday morning, she left to go to her business and saw him trying to return home. I won't go into details as it's sickening. Ilse from the Stellenbosch Animal Hospital was called and with no hesitation she put him down immediately as she said his trauma was too much. Covered in stab wounds, his belly was lowered due to a muscle that held that part together being lacerated, mouth shredded to bits and missing his mane and tail and completely done in, it was this wonderful, brave horse's last ditch attempt to find his way home. He had long hooves which my friend was intending to get the farrier to sort out, and the hooves were worn down to the quick on his returning to the safety of his home.

The Police and the SPCA are onto the 5 that caused this, but there are many more of them. They do it for kicks, initiation, bravery, fun...my thoughts leave me at this stage because I simply cannot comprehend such an evil mind. I believe these 5 have been brought into custody. But am told by my friend that if they are under age they will get off
scott free. However, My friend has now been threatened, since she has exposed them and what has happened, that they will be back for the Shetland and they will target her house and her. She is having to bring in security this weekend to protect all of them.

An informer who has given the police these lower than life's names, has also stated that the gangs next target is someone called Visser on the Winery Road this coming Friday/Saturday. (I would appreciate it if Cape Talk put this out on the air over the next few days - as a warning to horse owners in this area or any area)

Please Guys, let's all pull together. If you know this chap Visser on the Winery Road, please warn him. I can't find his name in the Boland Directory. I would personally like to cause all of these kids a very slow and painful life, just so that they manoeuvre for the rest of their live without being able to function properly.

IF we are unaware we are unable to help.

Make sure that your precious horses are safe at night, and preferably secured. And please be aware of what is happening for the sake of your gorgeous horses. And PLEASE BE AWARE OF WHAT IS GOING ON.

  Loving wishes,

  Bridget

Please can you pass this on to all people you know who have horses in the Helderburg/Stellenbosch area. We need to keep a vigilant eye out for these sick criminals.

Thanks
Roxanne