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Has anyone seen my horse? She was on loan as a companion to a lady named Sue Da silva and kept in Marshfoot Lane in Hailsham, East Sussex. Sue claims that she has been put down but has no veterinary evidence or slaughterhouse ticket to confirm this and is refusing to provide names. I strongly suspect that this horse has been moved or sold. Please look out for her. She is 15.3hh, heavy skewbald cob with lots of feather. She is about 14yrs. of age. She has bad arthritis in her coffin joints.

Hi Ellie,

I'm sorry to read how awful this situation is for you. Have you informed the police ? And your local horsewatch person ?

Can you add some photos to this thread please ?

Can we have more information ...

When did Janie go on loan to the woman ?
When was the first time you realised Janie was missing ?

More Information

Crime Ref: EW2-045977-09

*Photo Removed*

*Photo Removed*

Missing Horse details

29th September 2008 – Horse collected by Mrs. Susan Dasilva. She ‘forgot’ to bring contract back signed. I had another copy. Husband would not let her sign. Allowed her to go on trial then reconsider situation.

3rd November (approximately) –asked to visit Janie at Marshfoot Lane, Hailsham. Sue Dasilva tried to put me off by saying new fencing so no access and she was unavailable. Visited anyway and found easy access to field. No water in bucket so filled bucket and texted Sue Dasilva to advise her that Janie very thirsty horse. SD left message on my mobile saying that if I had looked there was a trough at bottom of field. No reason not to believe her so took her word for it.

December – Phoned Sue who said how much she loved Janie and had bought her a new rug. Planned to revisit but daughter in hospital seriously ill most of the month.

Beginning of January – Texted her to say that Janie’s injection due before 20th Jan. Sue texted back to say she would arrange it. Mid January lost mobile on train with Sue’s number.

Early February – found Sue’s number on piece of paper. Phoned her to apologise for lack of contact. She said her phone had been damaged and she had lost my number and was pleased to have my number again. I suggested visiting shortly, she said husband very ill so didn’t push it.

26th March – texted Sue to ask if I could visit Janie on 28th. She phoned in evening to say Janie had been put down 4 weeks previously because she had a lump behind her ear which the vet said had been there for 6 years! Said she was in London – husband having heart bypass. Asked why she hadn’t told me – said phone had been damaged (again!!?) and she had lost my number. Said she and husband had been over to my yard and left me notes. Not true – very small yard and no note found by anyone. Changed story to say it was her daughter who had been over and spoken to tall thin lady with blonde plait who was very rude to her. Not true – no one of that description in our yard – there are only four of us. Started to suspect there was something not right. Said I needed to come and collect the new rug that belonged to my other horse and she offered to give me photos of Janie but I would have to wait til her husband was better.

28th March – Visited Marshfoot Lane field. No sign of Janie but lady in next door bungalow had seen her two weeks previously (2 weeks after she was supposedly put down.) My sister enquired of friends who lived in same lane. Reported seeing her being ridden bareback down the lane the previous week. Horseboxes seen at yard that week also.

Emailed local Equine Vets who confirmed that they had neither treated her nor put her down and if they had they would have issued a certificate. Suggested I contact Diplocks (slaughterhouse). Diplocks went through their records of previous three months and had not put her down or collected a horse of her description and that they would have issued a ‘ticket’ if they had.

12th April – revisited Hailsham searching as many local fields as possible.

18th April – returned to Hailsham. Visited Marshfoot Lane – notice on gate about stolen pony. One of the three numbers on the notice was Sue’s. I took photos of Janie around local riding schools. Went to Hailsham Police Station. Duty Sergeant said that it was a civil matter because I hadn’t enough evidence so needed to asked for Vet’s certificate or slaughterhouse ticket.

My sister phoned Sue Dasilva to ask for evidence. Young child answered phone and said he would get her. When she found out who was calling she pretended to be Sue’s sister. Said Sue was in London with husband who was having heart bypass (another one!!?), but kept tripping herself up and it was obvious that it was Sue. She said her ‘sister’ had moved and she didn’t have her address (yet she was using her mobile!). Told my sister to call her in a week.

Since this I have texted her asking her to meet with my sister to hand over the 4 rugs she has of mine and evidence of Janie’s death. She replied saying she had moved up North and her husband had died (strange considering her number was on a gate in Hailsham).

Texted her again insisting on evidence and asking her to post within 5 days to Thomas Eggar’s Solicitors. She has not responded and is not answering my calls.

(Stolen pony from Marshfoot Lane found tied to a fence a few miles away – is there some sort of scam going on I wonder.)
Police have now agreed to investigate. Crime No. EW2-045977-09

Amongst the many mistakes I have made these are the worst:-

I had the drawings made for Janie’s passport but hadn’t got around to sending them off. When talking to my sister Sue Dasilva said that she had the passport so she must have had one issued.

Sue never did return the contract to me and I should have insisted before she took the horse away.

I did not have Janie micro-chipped or freeze branded.

Since posting details I have received some important information. Apparently this is not the first horse to go missing from Marshfoot Lane. It appear that Sue Dasilva is not her real name, she uses a number of different names, but the story is always the same. Someone lost two ponies from here but I do not have any details. Another pony went missing at around the same time but was mysteriously found after 'Sus' received an anonymous phone call and was able to claim the glory of finding the pony for the owner!

This woman has done exactly the same to me; She used a different name to me, but it is exactly the same scenario you described.
I have just found you through the lady at missinghorsesonloan website.
She had my horse at the end of Feb; and the alarm bells have been ringing to me for a while, as horse not in field at Marshfoot when I have tried visiting unannounced and she ignores my calls & texts,
Our case has now been added to yours & apparently around 3 others at least, and will be passed to the police.
I will try to ring you, Ellie.