Restraining order for grandma who kept feeding racehorse

A grandmother was accused of harassment and handed a restraining order after she wouldn’t stop feeding carrots to a racehorse.

A grandmother who was accused of harassment was taken to court and handed a restraining order after she wouldn’t stop feeding carrots to a retired racehorse.

67-year-old Margaret Porter was sneaking carrots into chestnut gelding Nelson’s paddock because she thought he looked hungry and sad.

Margaret said she didn’t want the horse “starving to death.”

However, the owner of the horse Suzanne Cooke, 50, from the Yorkshire Dales, wasn’t happy with Margaret when she spotted her throwing vegetables over the fence in February.

“I said, ‘Why are you feeding my horse? Do you realise what you are doing? You could poison my horse or give it colic and make it ill’,” Suzanne said.

Margaret called the RSPCA and the charity carried out a welfare check on Nelson, and also voiced her concerns to residents in the village and a parish councillor.

RSPCA inspectors did not find any concerns over the welfare of the racehorse, who is retired and had raced three times under the name ‘You’redoingwell.’

Suzanne decided to call the police and York magistrates issued a restraining order against Margaret yesterday, November 18, after she was convicted of harassment.

She is now banned from interfering with or feeding Nelson, she is also not allowed to approach Suzanne or visit her home.

Magistrate Hilary Fairwood said: “In the first instance her conduct could be considered laudable in that she truly believed she was trying to prevent the neglect of the horse.”

“However, after the RSPCA visit and police intervention she continued despite being explicitly told the RSPCA had no concerns whatsoever. Her conduct was not reasonable.”

The British Horse Society said feeding horses could injure them, cause illness or even lead to death, particularly if the horse is on a special diet.

It’s also potentially dangerous as people could get their fingers bitten.

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