Woman who took selfie with neglected, skeletal horse prosecuted after being caught on Facebook

Charlotte McPherson rode the horse twice a week despite its bones being clearly visible through its skin, court hears

Thor was so thin his bones were clearly visible through his skin (RSPCA)

A woman has been banned from keeping horses after pictures of her riding a skeletal ex-racehorse appeared on Facebook.

Charlotte McPherson pleaded guilty to two counts of animal cruelty at Birmingham Magistrates Court after RSPCA campaigners found pictures of her riding and taking selfies with the starved animal at a riding event in March.

The court heard how the 22-year-old had covered the horse’s hindquarters with an exercise sheet, which is designed to keep the horse warm, but it stopped the event judges seeing how thin he was.

Following an investigation it was revealed that the horse, called Thor, had lost weight due to a high worm egg count in his intestines as he had not been wormed properly.

RSPCA inspector Suzi Smith said: “Thor looked incredibly thin and you could see pretty much every bone in his body.

“He was obviously unwell, and after a vet examined his body, his body condition was rated zero out of five because he was that thin.

“McPherson continued to ride him twice a week in this condition, including at a fun ride in Bissell Wood, Blakedown, in March.”

She said Thor also had a sore on his spine directly under the saddle meaning it would have been incredibly painful for him to be ridden.

Ms Smith said Thor had had a long road to recovery as he had to gain weight before he could be dewormed.

She thanked the Retraining of Racehorses charity which helped pay the veterinary costs to look after him.

Thor is much happier and healthier today (Rspca)

He has now been restored to full health and been rehomed.

“He is loving his new life and when he trots across a field, you would find it hard to believe what he was like earlier this year”, Ms Smith said.

McPherson, of Kidderminster in Worcester, was also handed a 12-month community order and ordered to do 160 hours of community service.

She was also told to pay £300 costs and a £60 victim surcharge.