A DEAD horse was callously dumped at the side of an isolated moorland road.

And RSPCA officers have revealed it was probably dragged off a truck and left at the roadside – to avoid paying fees to a knacker’s yard.

It can cost hundreds of pounds to have a carcass removed.

The horrific sight greeted drivers using the A640 New Hey Road over Buckstones from Outlane yesterday.

The horse had its legs tied together and was tethered to a signpost.

But fears the animal had been alive when it was tied up were discounted later by an RSPCA officer.

Leanne Plumtree, a spokesman for the animal charity, said: “It sounds horrific and it is not the first such incident we have had at that location.

“There was one last year in very similar circumstances.

“We believe the horse had died of natural causes and whoever owned it did not want to pay a fee for the carcass to be taken away.

“Our inquiries have shown it was probably driven up to the roadside in a truck, had its legs tied together with the other end of the rope tied to a metal post, and the truck would then drive away.

“People will be shocked at the apparent cruelty but from what we can tell, the horse had not suffered before its death.

“It is a problem we have had previously with members of the travelling community.”

One driver who saw the horse said: “It was an awful sight.

“The horse’s body was right at the roadside, with its legs tied to a post. It was a shocking thing to see for drivers using the road.”

A spokesman for Kirklees Council said the authority was alerted yesterday morning to the incident.

He added: “The horse has now been removed properly from the scene by our contractors.

“We are working with the police and the RSPCA on the circumstances surrounding the death and how it came to be left there.”

West Yorkshire Police are investigating.

A spokesman said they were trying to determine how the horse had been taken to the moorland location.

Anyone who has information about the incident should contact Kirklees Environmental Health services on 01484 226400.