Heather Betts, 44, of Hills Lane, Knatts Valley, appeared at Maidstone Magistrates Court on Tuesday charged with animal welfare offences.

As well as the ban on keeping horses, she was made to pay £5,000 costs, received a 12 week prison sentence suspended for two years and a six month supervision order.

The RSPCA was called in February 2013 with concerns about Tomboy, being kept at Hartley Grange, Billings Hill Shaw, Hartley.

A spokesman said: "We found him in a badly underweight state, which a vet classified as a body score of 0.5 out 5 - or emaciated.

"A vet examining him recommended to the police that they take him from the owner and place him into RSPCA care."

RSPCA inspector Andrew Kirby said: “Tomboy was in a terrible state when we arrived. He was extremely underweight with no food available to him..

“Then after just eight weeks in our care, Tomboy put on 90kg - around 20% of his body weight. The vet said this was remarkable to put on so much weight in such a short space of time

“This was another case of someone who took on the care of a horse she just wasn’t able to provide for.

“It is vital that all prospective animal owners remember that it is a responsibility and a privilege - and they need to think hard before taking any pet into their care to ensure they can provide for their needs for their lifetime.”

Tomboy has now made a full recovery and has already got someone keen to give him a new home.