Twenty Horses Have Been Rescued From A Life Of Misery

Thanks to the efforts of World Horse Welfare, twenty ponies rescued from a scrap yard can now look forward to a happy and secure future. The mares, nine stallions, and juveniles were a mix of Shetlands and other native breeds who had been living in dangerous and unsanitary conditions in Preston’s Lea Town and Rosemary Lane neighbourhoods for many months. The stallions had been let to battle one other and breed with the mares, several of whom had offspring and were pregnant again.

Following a contact from a concerned member of the public, World Horse Welfare Field Officer Chris Williamson and the RSPCA were alerted to the predicament of the ponies last year. On a subsequent inspection, Chris noticed that conditions had deteriorated and issued the owner with an Improvement Notice, giving him 21 days to remedy the ponies’ living conditions.

“The spot the ponies were residing in resembled a scrap yard and the owner had been given multiple chances to change the surroundings. We had no choice but to intervene and take the ponies after he failed to act on the Improvement Notice we issued.

“Wading through thick, filthy muck and dwelling among broken glass and jagged metal had been the only existence many of the ponies had ever known. One pony had a three-inch nail stuck in its foot, and we discovered a mare and foal caked in their own feces after being forced to live in a tiny, filthy lorry container.” On January 28, 2009, a team from World Horse Welfare and the RSPCA, videotaped by a crew from the BBC show ‘Animal:24/7,’ successfully removed all 20 ponies and transferred them to the charity’s Penny Farm Recovery and Rehabilitation Centre in Blackpool.

The ponies prospered in the charity’s care, and four foals were delivered safely, but their future security was jeopardized when the owner died and a decision on ownership was left to the executors of his estate.”After a long wait, it was amazing to finally hear last week that all of the ponies will be formally signed into our care. This is fantastic news not only for the ponies, but also for the team who have been caring for them since January. It also means that we may now notify the public about their rescue and encourage them to meet them.”