A HORSE breeder who left a young gelding to starve and become lice-infested will be allowed to continue breeding horses.

Two-year-old gelding Archie was so sick when he was found by RSPA officers that he had to be destroyed. He could not even stand up.

Archie's owner, Ian Renyard, is still allowed to keep and breed horses.

The RSPCA inspector who saw Archie just before he died expressed her anger.

Clare Crowther told the Daily Echo: "Mr Renyard failed to provide the absolute basics for this horse because he didn't want to spend the money. There is no excuse for this kind of cruelty and I am disappointed he has not been banned from keeping horses."

Renyard, pictured, of Main Road, Dibden, pleaded guilty to three counts of causing unnecessary suffering to a horse.

New Forest Magistrates' Court heard that vet Amy Taylor and Insp Crowther were called to Renyard's home, which is next door to fields where he keeps horses, in March after being alerted by a member of the public.

Malcolm Baker, prosecuting on behalf of the RSPCA, said that Archie was in a worse condition than any other horse the inspector had seen.

He said: "She saw the gelding lying flat with a rug tied around his withers. The horse was extremely thin and there were areas of hair loss and scabs.

"The vet removed the rug and saw the horse was heavily infested with lice.

"Archie was close to total emaciation and there was a deep wound to his withers where flies were laying eggs and some were hatching into larvae."

The court heard Renyard, 42, who has kept horses since he was nine, believed Archie was suffering from acorn poisoning. He had previously successfully treated Archie's ill health and thought he could do so again.

Mr Baker added: "Mr Renyard was interviewed. He said I have lost £2,500 on Archie - you have to draw the line somewhere. My vet bills are astronomic'."

Renyard admitted not providing a nutritionally balanced diet for Archie, not providing adequate veterinary care for a wound to his withers and not providing parasitic control for a lice infestation.

Alan Stafford, representing Renyard, said: "My client acted in good faith and relied on his experience - this was not disregard."

Mr Stafford said that Archie rapidly lost weight, so Renyard changed his blanket for a smaller one, but that turned out to be the source of the lice infestation.

Archie also had sore patches and scabs from being pounded by rain. The court heard that at the time Renyard had nowhere to take his horses indoors.

Renyard was ordered to pay a £2,000 fine and £1,071 in court costs.