Quiet day at Smithfield Horse Fair after gardaí set up checkpoints

YESTERDAY’S HORSE fair in Smithfield, Dublin, was a quiet affair because of a joint operation involving the Garda, the DSPCA, the Department of Agriculture, the Revenue Commissioners and the Department of Social Welfare.

Gardaí mounted checkpoints throughout the city from the evening before, stopping any horse-owners en route to Smithfield and checking that they were carrying passports for their animals and that they had been microchipped.

The highest number of horses in the square at any point yesterday was nine and all were “in pristine condition”, said Liam Kinsella, inspector with the DSPCA.

“Only a handful of horses are here today as you can see. There has been a concerted effort by various agencies and I am happy with how things are today. All the horses are in pristine condition and well looked after. We haven’t seen the condition of the horses being turned back of course, but the animals here today appear well looked after.”

He hoped the crackdown would encourage horse-owners to have their animals chipped, which he said costs about €100, while a horse passport costs €35.

At one point a young man attempted to ride a pony into the square but was quickly cut off by a garda on horseback who asked him for his name and the pony’s papers.

When he refused to give his surname, and claimed the registration papers were “in the horsebox”, the young man was told to, “get him back in his box”. He left immediately.

A garda on horseback in the square said the agencies were checking also for tax and insurance on the vehicles used by horse-owners, and were also “dipping for diesel” to ensure legitimate fuel was being used.

Some deals were being done in the square. Joe Prendergast, from Finglas, Dublin, sold two cob horses to a buyer from England for €350. He said he was buying them as pets.

“You can see these are good around kids. They have a good temperament.”

Mr Prendergast was happy with the price. “I’ve been here three times with them and I couldn’t give them away. There are just too many horses now.”

Also selling was Ray Houlihan from Swords, Dublin. He was seeking €2,000 for his 15-hand cob horse, Bohermeen Paddy. He said he had been stopped three times on his way into the city centre by gardaí checking horse passports.

“If everything is done legally and properly, I don’t see why there can’t be a horse fair here.”

Peter O’Reilly, from the Cooley peninsula in Co Louth, was seeking €1,800 for his four year-old cob, Bob.

An 18-month-old Falabella miniature horse was also for sale, for €2,000. Asked why he was selling the animal, owner Ray Doyle from Tallaght, said simply: “The recession.”