Poppy
In August 2005, a very nervous feral mare was removed from a piece of common land near Birmingham by Redwings’ experienced rescue team. She had extremely overgrown hooves, caused by months of neglect and was very lame due to a crack in her hoof that had become infected. The crack could have been remedied by routine farriery and the infection by veterinary treatment, but the mare had received none of this help.
Due to the horse’s nervous nature, Redwings arrived at the common with pen sections and plenty of manpower to help coax the mare onto our trailer. The situation was not helped by the many other horses on the field who were not so nervous and seemed very keen to get involved in all the goings on! About an hour later, however, the mare was safely on board and taken to the closest appropriate place where she could finally receive the veterinary treatment she needed. In view of her severe lameness, it was important that she was not travelled any further than necessary.
The RSPCA took a prosecution against a father and daughter, who jointly owned the mare, for causing unnecessary suffering to their horse. The pair would not admit their neglect and the suffering it caused, but when the case came to court in June 2006, they finally pleaded guilty at the last minute. Both were fined and asked to pay several thousand pounds in costs. They were also deprived of the ownership of the mare, now called Poppy, who has now been officially signed over to the local charity where she had been cared for since her rescue. Not only are her feet now kept in tip top condition, but she has responded well to being handled by knowledgeable staff and has blossomed into a friendly, confident horse.
>back
