News stories
Amersham Case: The Ponies
As a huge thank you for all your support throughout the Amersham case, we wanted to take you through the stories of some of the 63 horses, ponies, and donkeys now in Redwings' care.
Esther
Esther is the little brown donkey who captured the heart of the nation. She was found with mum Martha in a tiny pen opposite a caged Rottweiler, and both donkeys were severely underweight and extremely nervous. On the day after the rescue attention turned to her and she was even visited by the national media for a photoshoot! An effort to help the charites involved in the rescue by collecting feed and money was even dubbed ‘Operation Esther’ in her honour.
On arrival at Redwings, tiny Esther’s weight was just 28kg and she was estimated to be barely two months old. Her mother Martha was so underweight that she had no discernible udders and was not able to give little Esther any sustenance. After their arrival at Redwings, mum Martha improved so much that she was again able to feed her baby, and Esther’s weight doubled in three months – from 28kg in January, to 44kg in April and was 96kg by the end of the first year. She continued to receive extra feeds to boost her weight gain even further as she remained a light girl, but finally had a healthy BCS of 2.5!
She is also now a changed donkey! She is now much more confident and is always the first over to the fence to greet any visitors! She will always be a bit wary owing to her past but she loves cuddles and gets plenty of them, and that’s what counts. She is also very partial to a ginger biscuit….
Esther is now part of our Adoption Club! You can adopt her for just £12.50 a year and help us continue to care for her and her friends...find out more here >>>
Esther arrives at Redwings two years ago
Esther as she looks now
Rumpel
Rumpel is one of four young colts that all arrived at Redwings underweight, very sickly and extremely nervous. All four were absolutely exhausted when they arrived, and went to sleep almost straight away, curled up in the shavings. They were so quiet in their first weeks that our Reception Centre Assessment Officer described them as behaving ‘more like elderly ponies’ as they were so subdued. In fact, Rumpel was so unused to people that he could barely be handled, and initial vet checks showed him to be heavily infested with lice and anaemic, with significant muscle wastage and breathing problems. However, after a few weeks of good food and TLC he began to brighten up and all four began to behave like the young colts they were, playing and grooming each other and generally causing havoc as young ponies should!
Rumpel when he arrived
Rumpel one year on
Thumbelina
Thumbelina arrived with a body condition score of 1.5 with very wasted neck muscles and protruding ribs and spine. Her coat was covered in mats and she was very itchy and covered in lice. On initial examination she weighed just 48kg and had a heavy worm burden. To remove the lice she had to be completely clipped and bathed regularly, which wasn’t easy for her as she was so nervous but we just had to stop the itching for her. Our Reception Centre Assessment Officer Marie Angell said: “One tiny little miniature Shetland filly, later named Thumbelina, was so nervous that she almost fell to the floor to escape from being touched. She was very underweight and was crawling with lice, which must have felt like permanent torture. It was only really after the treatment for the lice started to take effect, that her character began to shine through.” She now weighs a much more healthy 81kg and her nerves had been overcome – she has finally learned that humans can be friends and is a delightful little pony, full of personality, who loves to escape from her field!
Thumbelina when she was rescued
Thumbelina as she looks now
And watch a video of footballing pony Pinocchio here.....>>>>>
