Horse escapes on the rise: North Wales Police & Horse Watch urge owners to take precautions

Concerns have been raised over a ‘sharp’ increase in the number of horses escaping from their fields and onto highways.

With the growth of grass on the other side of perimeter fences, horses have been seeking greener pastures, leading to a rise in incidents.

North Wales Police and Horse Watch have reported a marked increase in such incidents at the end of winter and the start of spring.

According to Helen Lacey, Chief Executive of North Wales Horse Watch, horse owners are urged to take precautions to keep their equine friends safe. “To keep your equine friends safe, increase your checks on fencing, hedgerows, boundaries and gates daily,” she said.

Liability is an important factor to consider for horse owners, as they may be held responsible for any damage caused if their horse escapes from their field or paddock due to inadequate or unsafe field boundaries.

Horse escapes often occur due to one-time lapses, such as caretakers forgetting to close a gate or latch a door.

Double-checking barriers and creating a habit of closing gates and latches can prevent many unplanned outings.

However, some horses may be crafty escape artists who have learned to manipulate their surroundings.

These horses may even free others to join in their adventures, often timing their antics for when caretakers are not around.

In such cases, it is crucial to address repeated escape behaviour and implement heightened safety measures to prevent further incidents.

As horse owners and caretakers, it is important to take measures to prevent horses from escaping and causing damage or injury to themselves or others.

North Wales Horse Watch and the North Wales Police encourage horse owners to increase their safety checks and take necessary precautions to keep their horses secure.