Emaciated and pregnant mare who lost her foal is now thriving at World Horse Welfare’s Lancashire rescue
A mare rescued so emaciated and weak that her foal was tragically stillborn is now on the road to recovery at World Horse Welfare’s Lancashire rescue and rehoming centre – and will be receiving the very best of care this Christmas.
When pregnant mare Jean was rescued in August from a field full of poisonous ragwort by World Horse Welfare, she was extremely underweight, with overgrown hooves and painful sores on her neck.
Despite every effort by vets and the charity’s expert staff to save both mother and baby, heartbreakingly, Jean’s foal died just a few weeks after she reached safety.
World Horse Welfare’s Field Officer Rebecca Carter, who rushed to help after concerned locals flagged the mare’s plight said: “When I first saw Jean, she was in a shocking state. She was clearly pregnant, but very underweight and suffering from a painful skin condition caused by ragwort poisoning. She desperately needed help.”
Rebecca immediately contacted a vet, the RSPCA and police, and all agreed that Jean needed rescuing. She was whisked away to safety at World Horse Welfare’s Penny Farm Rescue and Rehoming Centre, near Blackpool.
Despite notices being placed at the field, no owner ever came forward – paving the way for Jean to be signed over to World Horse Welfare and begin a new chapter.
Farm Manager Adam Cummins added: “We couldn’t believe how thin Jean was when she arrived. Given the advanced stage of her pregnancy, we knew she needed to gain as much strength as possible, but we had to be very careful, as too much food too soon can make emaciated horses really unwell.
“Tragically, despite our best efforts and every attention from our vets, it was too late and Jean’s foal was stillborn just a few weeks after arriving at the farm.”
Her story illustrates the potentially devastating consequences of neglect but, thanks to the donations of generous animal-lovers, Jean is receiving compassionate, expert care and getting stronger every day, despite her heart-breaking loss.
This Christmas, Jean will be safe and well cared for at Penny Farm and looking forward to finding a loving home of her own one day.
To give neglected horses like Jean the second chance they deserve this winter click here