Such a sight I saw today
Where once these fields danced.

Two horses their hooves tied with twine
Dumped, discarded, dead.
Have we forgotten their legacy of loyalty throughout history?
The poor pit ponies blinded, lived and died in darkness.
Coal cart horses, whipped and broken by their burden.
Mules marred by unbearable weights – collapsed from exhaustion.
They have ploughed fields, pulled barges, wagons, drays,
Trams, fire engines, ambulances and Brewers carts.
Spirited sentients sold to the knackers yard to make soap.
Casualties were lost in circuses, movies and film.
Others gored to death in insane bull fights.
Bartered, drugged and lashed for a bet,
shot, disposed of with spent slips.

War – a fools folly
The caltrop, truly the Devils weed,
Pierced and punctured
Left you languishing in the bloody muck.
Used as shields for bullets and bombs.
And the ultimate betrayal
In brutal barbarity –
They strung…