Four ponies taken in before Christmas by Redwings are facing a brighter 2012 thanks to the efforts of staff at the charity and a number of partner organisations, including Dudley Council and the RSPCA.

Tinsel, Robin, Mistletoe and Holly, as they have been named, were rescued from Fens Pool Nature Reserve just outside Dudley in December, and are now recovering here at Redwings. All four were extremely underweight but three in particular, Robin a Welsh pony, Mistletoe, a tiny Shetland, and Tinsel, a 13hh cob, were in the weakest state and were barely able to stand by themselves.

Tinsel when he was found...

Although they were initially taken into Redwings Oxhill centre in Warwickshire, Tinsel was so poorly that he had to be seen by the local vets, Avonvale, several times for emergency treatment before he was transferred to Redwings HQ in Norfolk to be close to the charity’s in-house vet team. With the aid of a brand new Anderson sling device purchased with the help of a kind supporter, the team at Redwings were able to lift Tinsel whenever he needed it and support his weight while he was given vital nutrition and medicine.

...And back at Redwings, being supported by the Anderson sling

Redwings Head of Welfare and Senior Vet Nicolas de Brauwere said, “Against all the odds, Tinsel and the others are now on the way to recovery thanks to the round the clock care and dedication provided by the staff here. However, we couldn’t have brought any of them this far without the invaluable help of Dudley Council, the RSPCA and Avonvale vets. Tinsel really does prove that there are very few rescue cases that can’t recover with the right care and attention, he is such a brave and engaging chap and we are delighted to see how far he has come.”

Tinsel is now on the mend at Redwings

Councillor David Stanley, cabinet member for environment and culture, said: “We are pleased that the four horses are recovering well and would thank all of our partners, in particular the Redwings charity, for their work in this case. The response of Dudley Magistrates Court should also be praised as they were very prompt in dealing with the council’s request to transfer ownership to Redwings.

“We would stress that horse owners need to make sure that they care for their animals properly. Where there is evidence of any horse suffering unnecessarily we will take action with the support of our partners and instigate legal action against them.”

RSPCA Inspector Jackie Hickman said: "The welfare concerns over the horses at Fens Pool Nature Reserve have escalated recently, despite numerous visits by the RSPCA and other equine charities, the situation became critical resulting in intervention and removal of some of the worst cases.

“All horse owners have a duty of care to ensure their animal's needs are being met. Simply tethering a horse with little or no provision for their welfare needs is totally unacceptable. It is a sad state of affairs when charities, yet again, are forced to take drastic action and remove horses to prevent further suffering. After being so badly let down by their owners, we are glad that Tinsel, Robin, Mistletoe and Holly can now look forward to a brighter future."

For updates on their progress, keep an eye on the Redwings Facebook page...

 

 

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