A fresh start for a group of Warmbloods

Earlier this year, we were made aware of a large group of horses living in precarious conditions. The herd consisted of mares, foals, youngsters and stallions living together on overgrazed, heavily poached land. Without a piped water supply to the fields, the horses relied on a pond as their only source of drinking water.

Distressing scenes of neglect

Two horses were kept in stables heaped with such deep manure that their heads were close to the rafters. Fields were littered with plastic wrapping, which were home to mares who had been left to run with stallions, leading to indiscriminate breeding, and injuries. But perhaps most shocking was that the horses were grazing alongside the body of a recently deceased horse as well as some older remains.

“This was an alarming case, both in terms of the sheer number of horses involved and the sustained neglect they had endured. It required an enormous effort, as well as significant time and resources, from teams across World Horse Welfare, British Horse Society and the RSPCA to bring these horses to safety and get them the help they desperately needed,” said Field Officer Rebecca Carter.

Rebecca continues: “Across the herd we saw problems including malnutrition due to insufficient forage, overgrown feet, lice, rain scald, mud fever and untreated injuries. Years of uncontrolled breeding had also taken their toll, with far too many horses grazing on very poor land.

“Perhaps the saddest part was that many of these horses had never known any different. They had never experienced routine handling necessary for them to receive the care that every horse deserves, meaning they were terrified of human contact. This made everything very challenging for the horses as well as those of us on the ground who were there to help them.”

A complex round up of frightened horses

It quickly became apparent that many of the herd had never left the field and were terrified even to cross a gateway. As a result, the rescue was slow progress for the teams, with each rescue day running into the early hours of the morning.

Emergency care for an ill and injured mare desperate to protect her foal

Our experienced teams were – during the round-up and when she arrived at our Hall Farm Rescue and Rehoming Centre in Norfolk – particularly concerned about Rhonda, who had had recently given birth to a lovely colt, Fernando. Rhonda had sustained an injury to her withers, which had gone untreated due to her lack of handling and as a result, it had escalated to a bone infection.

Hall Farm Rescue and Rehoming Centre Manager, Sue Hodgkins, takes up the story:

“Rhonda was extremely vulnerable – a fiercely protective new mum who was unhandled, frightened, in a new environment, injured and in pain. That made treating her very challenging. Sadly, for our team, horses with such complex care needs are coming into our farm all too often, and so we’ve become adept at listening to them and gaining their trust.”

Thanks to their experience and patience, Rhonda is now receiving the veterinary treatment she needs, recovering well and settling into her new surroundings. Fernando is experiencing what every young horse should have the chance to learn from the beginning: how to feel safe around people so he can approach the world with confidence.

In this multi-agency case, six horses came into the care of the team at Hall Farm Rescue and Rehoming Centre in Norfolk following the rescue, including two pregnant mares and two mares with young foals at foot. A further group of six youngsters later arrived at Glenda Spooner Farm Rescue and Rehoming Centre in Somerset once they were fit enough to travel and could begin their rehabilitation.

The road ahead will be a long one but already these horses are beginning to show us what is possible when welfare comes first. Behind their initial fear, there are curious youngsters, devoted mothers and horses with brighter futures ahead. Donate now and be part of their journey to recovery.