Two horses used for carriage rides at Queen Victoria 's former summer house have been seized by police over fears they were being mistreated . The RSPCA is now caring for the horses which were formerly based at Osborne House on the Isle of Wight , and which were said to be so thin they nearly had to be put down . The animals were used to pull carriages around the estate , which was built in the 19th century as a private home for Queen Victoria and Prince Albert . Probe : Two horses have been seized from Osborne House over fears they were being mistreated ( file photo ) Claims : The RSPCA intervened after English Heritage staff expressed concern about the horses ( file photo ) Although the house is now under the care of English Heritage , the horses were owned by an independent contractor . When English Heritage staff noticed the poor health of the horses , they called the RSPCA , and the contractor has now been sacked . A source told Island Echo that the two horses had no body fat whatsoever , and would probably have been put down if they had not been rescued within days . A spokesman for the RSPCA said : 'We attended along with the police and an independent vet after a call from a concerned member of the public about the condition of two horses there . 'The police seized the horses and placed them in our care.This is now an ongoing investigation so we can not comment further . ' Historic : Osborne House was the summer home of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert in the 19th century . Rides : The horses were owned by an independent contractor and used as a tourist attraction ( file photos ) Hampshire Police said that no one has been arrested over the treatment of the horses . The general manager at Osborne House , Rob Flower , said : 'We are deeply saddened by the situation . We were concerned about the treatment of the horses and alerted the RSPCA . 'Our first priority is the welfare of the horses and we are working closely with the RSPCA . ' English Heritage said that the contractor was given free use of the house 's stables and paddocks to give carriage rides to guests . However , Osborne House did not profit from the arrangement . Care : The horses are now being looked after by the RSPCA following the investigation ( file photo ) The home was designed by Prince Albert to look like an Italian palazzo , and was built between 1845 and 1851 . The couple would spend several months a year at the house , and after Albert 's death Victoria continued to pay regular visits , dying there in 1901 . Osborne House was used as an officer training college by the Royal Navy after Edward VII gave it to the nation . The house and grounds are now open to the public , while the estate 's cricket pavilion can be rented out by holidaymakers .
The horses were used for tourist carriage rides at Osborne House . Staff were concerned about their treatment and called the RSPCA . Horses were said to be so thin they faced being put down within several months a year .