A SOUTHAMPTON man has been banned from owning horses after he left them at a field without clean water and shelter.

Michael Edward Levy, formerly of The Drive, West End, has been disqualified from owning equines for six months after failing to provide adequate care for them.

The 31-year-old was found guilty of two offences in a prosecution at West Hampshire Magistrates Court.

This included failing to take reasonable steps in all circumstances to ensure the needs of animals he was responsible for.

Inspectors from the animal welfare charity were called after horses belonging to Levy had been left to fly-graze on land without permission from the owner.

The land, which was littered with several hazards, did not have clean water, shade or shelter.

The fencing was also deemed inappropriate fencing for horses, which resulted in one horse getting trapped and losing a shoe.

Inspector Tina Ward said: “There was rusting metal and car parts as well as partly buried plastic blue piping. All of these had the potential to cause serious harm and injury.”

Levy, who now lives in Gravel Avenue, Devon, was also found guilty of transporting a pony in a way that was likely to cause injury after he was seen unloading a pony from a white van.

Inspector Ward added: “There were no windows giving light or ventilation, no partition to support the pony’s body. The method of transporting the pony was highly dangerous and would have also caused significant distress.”