Farmers in Northern Ireland have spoken of their concerns surrounding the number of unregistered or abandoned horses grazing on farmland.
There are concerns about public safety, costs incurred to care for or re-home the horses, and a lack of clarity as to which public authority has responsibility to act in which circumstances.
The Ulster Farmers' Union (UFU) said farmers are also frustrated by the perception that local authorities are not enforcing current rules in relation to registration of equines.
The UFU has raised these concerns with the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA).
At present, the issue falls under at least three different pieces of legislation, which the UFU said can result in confusion for all parties involved when trying to resolve issues.
Currently, responsibility for horses on public roads lies with the PSNI. Whereas responsibility for abandoned horses lies with district councils. However, they currently only have to intervene if the animal is suffering or is likely to suffer if its circumstances do not change.
'Disjointed'
In the short term, DAERA has committed to reminding involved parties of their roles and responsibilities under the current legislation.
However, the UFU has said the current law is not fit for purpose, labelling it "disjointed and archaic."
In England, the issue was brought under a single legislative act called the Control of Horses Act to streamline the issue.
The UFU said it would like to see a similar process conducted in Northern Ireland in order to clarify roles and responsibilities, and where possible to reduce bureaucracy and costs associated with dealing with this issue.
In a statement, the farming union said: "With no sitting executive in Stormont, this is unlikely to be possible in the short term. However, we are committed to working with other interested parties in order to identify the best long-term solution for all involved."
