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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Calls for horse river plunge ban | Calls for horse river plunge ban |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Two charities are calling for the practice of submerging horses in the river at a Horse fair to be scrapped. | Two charities are calling for the practice of submerging horses in the river at a Horse fair to be scrapped. |
| A horse drowned while being washed in the River Eden at this year's Appleby festival in Cumbria earlier this month. | A horse drowned while being washed in the River Eden at this year's Appleby festival in Cumbria earlier this month. |
| Now the British Horse Society and the RSPCA want the tradition at the popular, annual event to be dropped, saying it is "archaic" and "dangerous". | |
| The RSPCA and Cumbria Police are still trying to trace the dead horse's owner and are following up a number of leads. | The RSPCA and Cumbria Police are still trying to trace the dead horse's owner and are following up a number of leads. |
| According to tradition, the animal's heads must be dunked beneath the water before it can be returned to dry land and put up for sale. | According to tradition, the animal's heads must be dunked beneath the water before it can be returned to dry land and put up for sale. |
| 'Clearly abhorrent' | 'Clearly abhorrent' |
| Lee Hackett, welfare senior executive for the British Horse Society, said: "Witnesses report that the horse's rider repeatedly dunked the animal's head until it failed to submerge causing the rider to flee the scene. | Lee Hackett, welfare senior executive for the British Horse Society, said: "Witnesses report that the horse's rider repeatedly dunked the animal's head until it failed to submerge causing the rider to flee the scene. |
| "The drowning of a young horse is clearly abhorrent and, although it would seem to be a tragic one-off event, it is essential steps are taken to ensure it cannot happen again. | "The drowning of a young horse is clearly abhorrent and, although it would seem to be a tragic one-off event, it is essential steps are taken to ensure it cannot happen again. |
| "The practice of completely submerging horses' heads is archaic and serves no clear purpose." | "The practice of completely submerging horses' heads is archaic and serves no clear purpose." |
| Around 60,000 visitors a year flock to the event during which they watch Romany, gypsy and travellers race horses in front of prospective buyers. | Around 60,000 visitors a year flock to the event during which they watch Romany, gypsy and travellers race horses in front of prospective buyers. |
| A spokesman for the RSPCA said: "We would back any call to ban the submersion of horses' heads at Appleby as we feel it is unjustified and dangerous. | A spokesman for the RSPCA said: "We would back any call to ban the submersion of horses' heads at Appleby as we feel it is unjustified and dangerous. |
| "We'd also want to see a restriction that meant no horse would be allowed in the water without a head collar and a head rope, which was less than a metre long, which would increase the safety of the horses." | "We'd also want to see a restriction that meant no horse would be allowed in the water without a head collar and a head rope, which was less than a metre long, which would increase the safety of the horses." |