A GREY pony stallion had to be put down because of injuries and ailments which had been neglected by the owner.

Blackburn magistrates heard four mares in the same Great Harwood field had grossly overgrown hooves which was causing them unnecessary suffering.

Richard James Riding, 51, of Whalley Road, Great Harwood, pleaded guilty to two charges of causing unnecessary suffering and one of failing to ensure animal welfare.

He was sentenced to `12 weeks in prison suspended for 12 months, ordered to do 100 hours unpaid work and pay £115 victim surcharge and £300 costs. He was also banned indefinitely from keeping or having any dealings with any equines.

Chris Wyatt, prosecuting for the RSPCA, said the animal welfare charity had been alerted by a member of the public who was concerned about the welfare of the Welsh ponies in a field across from the Gamecock pub on Whalley Road.

When inspectors attended Riding told them some of the mares needed their hooves trimming and said he had been waiting for the knackerman to come and put the stallion down.

Mr Wyatt said the vet reported a large, maggot infested wound on the stallion's belly and numerous lesions in its mouth, nostrils and on its genitals. The horse was in such a poor condition it was immediately put down.

"In her opinion a responsible owner would have been able to recognise the problems and would have sought veterinary advice," said Mr Wyatt. "The hooves of the four mares were curling upwards and there was laminitis and chronic hoof deformity."

Mr Wyatt said Riding told inspectors he had started breeding and showing ponies in 1996 but had last shown in 2010. He had 22 ponies but had sold 17 of them.

He said at the time of the RSPCA visit their were beef cattle and sheep on the smallholding and all these were in good condition. The ponies were in a field with adequate grazing and a natural water supply.

Graeme Parkinson, defending, said his client accepted he was totally in the wrong and had neglected to look after the horses to the required standard.

"He works milking on two farms and at the time was keeping cattle and sheep on his smallholding," said Mr Parkinson. "There was no problem with the cattle or the sheep, which he has now sold, which were all well looked after."

Mr Parkinson asked the magistrates to restrict any banning order to relate to horses only to allow the defendant to continue his work and his beef breeding enterprise.