TWO emaciated former racehorses had to be put to sleep after they were found in a shocking state in Bromyard.

Tracey Dawn Davis, who is 49, admitted neglecting the animals when she appeared in court this week.

Worcester Magistrates were told on Friday that Pumpkin, formerly known as Buds Bruvver, and Hal, who went by the race name He's a Leader, were found by RSPCA officers following an anonymous tip.

A vet and police officers were also called and found the horses in extremely poor conditions.

Davis, of Ballhurst, Bromyard, admitted causing unnecessary suffering to the two thoroughbred horses between October and November 2017 last year by failing to investigate the cause of their poor body condition.

She also admitted failing to meet the needs of the same two horses between March and November last year by failing to ensure they were protected from pain, suffering, injury and disease by not adequately worming them.

RSPCA inspector Suzi Smith, who investigated, discovered that Davis had been alerted to the body condition of one of the horses in particular two months earlier by her own vet attending in respect of another matter but she failed to follow the professional advice.

She said: “To let these horses get into such a shocking state is inexcusable. Both horses were extremely thin and undernourished and had simply been left to suffer without care for their welfare.

“Thoroughbreds are not an easy horse to keep, yet are unfortunately too easy to pick up for little to no money and sadly therefore often find themselves in the hands of those who are completely inexperienced or unequipped in dealing with their needs.

“Despite efforts, Hal, who was 18-years-old, collapsed the following evening, and after a night of trying to get him to stand the decision was made by the attending veterinary surgeon for him to be put to sleep.

"Pumpkin, who was only eight years of age, put up a good fight in recovery but sadly the damage from the redworm was too much and the attending veterinary surgeon had to make the sad decision to euthanise him after he collapsed.”

Davis has been disqualified from keeping horses for 20 years, and was sentenced to 12 weeks custody, suspended for one year, and ordered to carry out 120 hours unpaid work and pay £614 in costs.

A seizure order has also been put in place for the remaining five horses owned by Davis, in the event she fails to re-home them in the 21 days the court has allowed her.