'Eccentric' owner moves horse into home
The owner of a Connemara pony on the Scottish Isle of Lewis has made an original response to the eviction of her pony from grazing land on Christmas Eve after a dispute over payment. Stephanie Noble, 65, spent Christmas Day moving furniture inside her home to permit access and allow for appropriate space, then brought Grey Lady Too inside. It is now living there full time.
Ms Noble, a qualified riding instructor, has made structural alterations to the property and has moved upstairs. The horse is allowed out onto the house's lawn at will, although she has already eaten some plants in the adjoining garden of a neighbour. The great quantity of manure in the garden has provoked comment, and Ms Noble has conceded that she is obliged to use "lot of cat litter and hay" inside. Representatives of the local Environmental Health Department have visited the property.
The situation has prompted a concerned response from Ms Noble's neighbours. One neighbour, who asked to remain anonymous, said "We are shocked that the environmental health or animal cruelty people have not intervened, even if it is her own home.”
Another added "There are potentially serious health issues and I believe Western Isles Council is wrong to play softly-softly and is failing in its duty to the rest of us by allowing this farce to continue. She has been here for eight or nine years and has upset many people in that time. There are neighbours from hell, and then there is Ms Stephanie Noble." Ms Noble was recently arrested during an altercation over access to a shed for Grey Lady Too and is currently responding to allegations of drink-driving.
Ms Noble, however, is remaining defiant. "If I want to even keep an elephant in the house I can," she has announced. "I have had nothing but stick from people because it is unconventional”.
The SSPCA have urged Ms Noble to entrust the pony to their care on welfare grounds. Gill MacGregor of the SSPCA said "We do hope that Ms Noble finds the appropriate livery for her pony so that they can remain together but, in the event that this does not happen, we hope she will consider our offer in the best interests of the animal."
With Strangles Awareness Week just around the corner (5-11 May), vets are being encouraged to share a survey about the disease with their horse-owning clients.
