One year on, meet the horses rescued from horrific neglect
Last year, eight horses arrived at our member charity World Horse Welfare, rescued from a shocking case of neglect where dead horses had been left where they had fallen.
The eight horses, including a foal, were among 22 found in appalling conditions after Field Officer Seema was called to assist the RSPCA. She said: “Sadly, I do see cases of severe neglect in the course of my job and consequently have had to build up a level of resilience, but some cases haunt me—and this is one of them. Finding dead horses left in barns, with the remaining survivors shut in with no food, no water, no bedding and, in some cases, no light, was truly horrendous. One stable was so dark that, until I used my phone as a torch, I couldn’t even tell that there was a foal in there, standing all on her own in the pitch black.”
The horses were removed to safety the same day so they could receive the care they so desperately needed. Once strong enough to travel further, eight of the horses came into the care of the charity’s Belwade Farm Rescue and Rehoming Centre in Aberdeenshire, where the team set about transforming both their health and their confidence.
Supervisor Sarah has cared for one of the younger horses in the group, a Shire mare named Thora, since her arrival at Belwade Farm. “Thora has come on in leaps and bounds since arriving with us. She had minimal handling skills on arrival, along with untreated feather mites, which had caused painful sores on her legs,” explained Sarah.
“To begin with, she was understandably defensive about having her back legs touched, but once the mites were treated, I started building her confidence with having her legs handled. Thora is a very quick learner and responded really well to positive reinforcement (treats!). She’s gained over 100kg since she came into our care and is now great to catch, lead and groom. She’s really friendly and is always one of the first over to greet you in the field—and has grown to a majestic 18hh.”
Now, after a year in the team’s care, we are delighted that most of the group have already found loving new homes.
Before they were rehomed, Seema was reunited with the horses at Belwade Farm. She said: “It is magical to see how they have blossomed. Their newfound confidence shows how much work the grooms have put in. Even the terrified little foal I found shut in the dark has now transformed into a curious, healthy youngster.”