News stories
Triumph over adversity for tiny pony Tilly
A Shetland pony who was seriously injured in a road traffic accident on the A66 in Cumbria at the beginning of July is on the road to recovery and has now been offered a permanent home at Redwings Horse Sanctuary in Norfolk.
A fundraising appeal was set up to help pay the vet bills for the pony, now known as Tilly, after she sustained extremely serious abrasions to her hind legs in the accident, which suggest that she may have been dragged along by a vehicle. No owner was ever found for the mare, a skewbald Miniature Shetland who is estimated to be in her late teens, but it is clear she had been badly neglected prior to her accident as her teeth were extremely overgrown, making it difficult for her to eat.
Poor Tilly sporting a very fetching red bandage
Local horse owners Sue and James Winters were asked by Police to care for the pony at their stable yard after the accident, which left Tilly with horrendous injuries. The muscles in her hind legs were damaged down to the bone and the joints were leaking fluid, so it was not known whether she would survive. However, against all the odds and with veterinary treatment and daily care, she began to recover, and her condition eventually improved sufficiently for her to be travelled to Redwings’ Reception Centre in Norfolk. The Redwings vets have now begun work on a series of skin grafts to try and aid the healing process.
Rachel Angell, Senior Welfare Officer for Redwings, said, “The story of this tiny pony has inspired so many people, who have rallied round to help her. We would like to say a huge thank you to the RSPCA, Sue and James Winters who cared for Tilly, Helen Trory at the Old Hall Vets in Appleby for all her amazing work, Sue Chappelhow, Angela Tyson, and everyone at Eden Animal Rescue who held a fundraising appeal for her to help with her treatment, and Georgie Hollis of Intelligent Wound Care in Norfolk who has kindly donated specialist dressings to help our team of vets at Redwings continue Tilly’s care.
“This really has been a story of triumph over adversity,” continues Rachel. “However, the sad truth is that it doesn’t end here. Tilly has been through a great deal. It will take a long time for her to recover fully from the initial wounds, and her accident is likely to leave her with massive scars and permanent damage that mean she is going to need ongoing veterinary care. Her teeth were in such a bad way for such a long time before her accident that she will also need regular dental care for the rest of her days to enable her to eat properly. The team at Redwings were so moved by her sad story that we just had to offer her a home here at the Sanctuary, where we can give her all the care that she might need, for as long as she needs it.”
Head of Welfare and Senior Redwings Vet Nicolas de Brauwere said: “There is a kind of sick irony to the fact that Tilly’s accident may in some ways have saved her – she had been completely neglected and the condition of her mouth and teeth was amongst the worst we have ever seen. This awful accident has ironically brought her to the attention of people who can give her all the care she needs. The injury is healing well and the skin grafts are taking well; after her terrible start in life we are very optimistic for her future.”
Keep an eye on the website and our Facebook page for updates on Tilly's progress
