Azaree, an elderly brown horse whose ribs noticeably protrude from its side, is kept in a paddock on Dodd and Douglas Streets in Beaconsfield.

Locals first became alarmed at the horse's treatment four years ago, and a number of reports of animal abuse have been made to the RSPCA since then.

A post this week about Azaree's plight on a Beaconsfield community Facebook page attracted several hundred comments in less than a day, with many locals claiming that the suspected owner has not fed the animal regularly despite the lack of grass feed available in the paddock.

When contacted the owner said "not half" of the comments on the Facebook post about Azaree were true.

She provided no further context by deadline.

But in a private phone message obtained by this newspaper, the owner admitted to one concerned neighbour that she was struggling to care for Azaree.

"I've been saying to people I need help, everything getting on top of me. I've been feeding him but not enough. I'm about done," the message read.

RSPCA Tasmania chief executive Jan Davis confirmed the owner has been contacted and was "under instruction".

She said the RSPCA had sent veterinarians to inspect the horse, and that their report on its health was due by the end of the month.

"We have encouraged the owner to surrender the horse to us, but they have chosen not to do that at this stage," Ms Davis said.

Azaree is being monitored by the veterinarians, but the animal is not well enough to be loaded on to a float at present, she said.

"Whilst it is in vet care, whilst they won't surrender it, there's nothing else we can do."

Ms Davis said the experts sent by the RSPCA to inspect the horse had reported that Azaree's condition might be more connected to his age of 27 years rather than his alleged treatment.

"Basically they're saying that this is a very old horse, and there's not a lot we can do for it."

One local familiar with Azaree disagreed, saying that his appearance had nothing to do with his age.

The owner has rarely been seen feeding the animal, and an arrangement with a neighbour to allow Azeree to graze in another field ended when the owner stopped paying agistment of $10 per month to the property owner, the neighbour claimed.

On the Facebook page, Leonie Kirk wrote that horse owners should be sure they are able to care for their animals before becoming owners.

"I'm sick to death of the way these kinds of horse owners operate," she wrote.

"If you don't have the pasture, don't get a horse! If you've fallen on hard times, sing out and horse people will help. Just don't neglect them!"

More and more horse neglect will happen later in the year due to the "terrible hay season" and "shortage of hay," she wrote.

Tina Swain wrote: "This horse needs help before it gets any worse - the weather is only going to get colder, food way more scarce."

Other commenters called for a fundraising to help the animal, and others questioned why the RSPCA had not taken firmer action against the owner.