In Occitania, they lend a hand to horse owners

Cédric, member of the Solidarity-Rando 4x4 Occitanie, voluntarily patrols the equestrian centers to help the owners.

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• In recent weeks, cases of cruelty to equines have increased.

• If the owners organize themselves on their side on social networks, volunteers, followers of 4x4 hikes, offer to help them to make rounds on the equestrian centers.

• A voluntary and united D system which complements the preventive measures launched by the gendarmerie.

Lamps in hand, bundled up in their fleeces, Ludovic and Cédric tour the six hectares to check that the dozen horses in the equestrian leisure center are doing well.

That evening, they are on foot, but it often happens that this mission, they fulfill it at the wheel of an all-terrain vehicle, in which they can spend the night for the occasion.

"We count them, we check that they are fine and have no wounds," says Cédric, member of the "Solidarité-Rando 4x4 Occitanie" collective, more used to crisscrossing the steep paths at the wheel of his motor vehicle than 'to ride the plains on a thoroughbred.

It is not out of passion for the stables that this inhabitant of Muret came to lend a hand to the owners of this club in the Villefranche-de-Lauragais sector, to the south-east of Toulouse, but out of solidarity.

A few weeks ago, he didn't know Emilie, the instructor, or Alexandra, the president of the center.

To prevent the animals from being the victims of malicious prowlers, on weeknights, they find themselves in the field, sometimes around a meal taken on the go, joking about everything and nothing.

Also remember this suspicious gray Golf that they spotted on several occasions and which prompted them to file a complaint.

Emilie doesn't hide it.

For a good month, the atmosphere has not really been the same among horse owners.

Without being in psychosis, she fears for the 17 horses who continue to enjoy their hay far from all the turmoil that has won the French equestrian world since the mutilation of equines has intensified.

“At the very beginning of the cases, we did more rounds.

And then there was one reported 5 minutes from here and one case in Revel.

We then came every night, with a motorhome to ensure a presence, ”says this enthusiast.

Reinforcement of young "nomads"

Fatigue quickly accumulated among the owners who came to take turns.

So when the president of the association heard about a group of 4x4 enthusiasts offering to provide free patrols, she jumped at the chance.

“At the start, our group was more focused on bivouacs, but also on mutual aid between 4x4 owners.

So when we saw what was going on, we thought we could help.

Since then, we have had a huge number of requests.

As soon as we can, in our free time, we go there to relay the often exhausted owners.

We look at everything, the feeders also because there has been poisoning in the Tarn, ”says Charlotte, member of the collective which is currently traveling to six sites in Midi-Pyrénées.

In Villefranche, during the week, they received reinforcements from Claire, Jonathan and Cédric.

These three young "nomads" have installed their two trucks on the club for two weeks.

“We bring security through our presence, and on our side, we can land.

Everyone is a winner and the children who come to the club are also happy.

It's also very rewarding, it gives a good image of the people who live in trucks, ”they plead.

Like them, many other nomads have settled in equestrian centers.

Declared to the gendarmerie

Like the rounds of the 4x4 solidarity rando collective, they reported their presence to the gendarmerie, so that no one was wrong about the target.

“We are not cowboys, we are here to scare away, not to put ourselves in danger.

Each time we intervene on site, we tell the gendarmerie and we give the identities and license plates ”, continues Charlotte, who has received requests from all over France.

A voluntary action that takes shape on social networks.

At the same time as that of the gendarmerie, which for several weeks has become attached to the equestrian centers in the region.

“We first made a census of professionals and individuals.

We also try to go systematically to distribute them information in order to do prevention and give them the address to reach the specialized office.

When owners are concerned, the brigade commander can organize meetings.

This is an opportunity for people to communicate with each other, ”explains Colonel Xavier Wargnier, adviser for metropolitan affairs at the gendarmerie region.

In Haute-Garonne and in the neighboring departments, cases have already been reported of this suspicious behavior, each time verified as part of a procedure.

Miscellaneous

Mutilated horses: A pony found emasculated in Seine-Maritime

Miscellaneous

Mutilated horses: Two investigations opened after the discovery of injured animals near Montauban

Towards the creation of an animal protection brigade on an experimental basis?

Mutilated horses, mistreated dogs… Cases of cruelty to animals are numerous.

To deal with these cases, which are rarely taken to court, the deputy for the 3rd district of Haute-Garonne, Corinne Vignon, proposes to create an animal protection brigade on an experimental basis.

It would be made up of municipal and national police officers and gendarmes responsible for centralizing all reports for the entire department within a single service.

A proposal submitted to the prefect in the coming weeks.

"Composed of six people, it would travel on notification or during spontaneous checks and will be a referee," said an assistant to the deputy.

• Gendarmerie

• Monitoring

• Animals

• Animal cruelty

• Horse

• Toulouse

• Society