A DEAD horse was left in a field on the outskirts of St Albans for almost 24 hours at the weekend, despite worried calls to the RSPCA from passers-by.

The young bay collapsed and died in the field just off Highfield Park Drive, close to Nuffield Health Club, in what one club member has described as a “horrific and tragic” scene.

One concerned mother contacted the Herts Advertiser to say how distressed her daughter was to see the dead animal, particularly as there were two living horses in the same field.

She contacted the RSPCA about the matter on Sunday afternoon but said the horse remained in the field well into the evening.

A member of the health club said they had called the RSPCA twice on Sunday but were told that there was only one officer on duty and they were unable to attend.

Concerns about the horses tethered in the field have been voiced in the Herts Advertiser before with many residents and health club users contacting the paper to express their concern about the animals’ welfare.

But the RSPCA said the horse had not died from neglect but possibly due to colic. An RSPCA officer attended the scene at some point on Sunday and called a vet from the Royal Veterinary College to try to ascertain what had caused its death.

The vet concluded that the dead animal was not underweight and that the other two horses at the site were both considered to be in good bodily condition.

A spokesperson said the horses’ owner was contacted and came out to the scene.

She said: “The RSPCA has had a number of complaints about horses at this site and has visited on multiple occasions, but has always found the animals to be in adequate condition, with fodder available.

“The Society remains in contact with the owner and will continue to monitor the welfare of horses here and elsewhere in St Albans.”

She praised the public for being “the eyes and ears” of the RSPCA and said they were always grateful for calls which alerted them to animals who might be suffering neglect or cruelty.