THE owner of a former Horse of the Year has been banned from keeping animals for ten years after she neglected a chestnut mare.

Joanne Eleanor, 30, of Red House Farm, on Stockton's Moorhouse Estate, was also given a two months prison sentence, suspended for a year, by Teesside magistrates, who placed the mare into the RSPCA's care.

At today's hearing, chairman of the bench, Stephan Willers, told the mother-of-two: "The offence is so serious that a custodial sentence had to be considered. "However, due to your personal circumstances, we believe it appropriate to impose a suspended sentence."

The court heard that Eleanor, who owned 1993's Horse of the Year in the Wembley show, kept nine horses at her rented farm. Following a tip-off, RSPCA Inspector Laura Glover visited the animals, and found the mare, Willow, living in filthy conditions and severely emaciated.

It had Rain Scald, which is similar to alopecia, a bruise above its eye and had difficulty walking.

Amanda Baker, for the RSPCA, said a British Horse Society welfare officer subsequently visited the farm, and was shown eight horses living in filthy conditions.

She was not shown Willow, who, according to the defence, Eleanor had segregated from the others due to bullying.

Miss Baker said: "There's no excuse for the appalling way this horse has been looked after. Since being in the care of the RSPCA, it has put on ten-and-a-half stones."

John Nixon, defending, highlighted Eleanor's good record in caring for horses since the age of 15.

He said: "Her neglect merely mirrored the tremendous difficulties she was having in terms of the break-down of her marriage, her clinical depression and a particularly nasty custody battle.

"She was completely and utterly ashamed of the way she let things slip." After the hearing, Ms Glover said: "Mrs Eleanor is an experienced horse person, having won awards in the past. I think it was the right sentence."