LONDON and PRINCES RISBOROUGH, England, September 27, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --
On a warm Summers day as most folk enjoyed the last Bank holiday of the year The Horse Trust received a call from The Verderers of the New Forest about an emaciated 13.1 hh piebald mare aged around 4 years old, found abandoned on the B3080 at Turf Hill in Hale in Hampshire.
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Unlike many other rescue cases 'Duchess' had been microchipped but unfortunately this revealed no details aside from her name and approximate age. It is clear that Duchess is a domesticated pony, not a semi-feral native pony and there was little chance of her survival without being rescued. Domesticated ponies do not know how to seek out water and very quickly become dehydrated.
Duchess' body condition was poor, scored at 1.5 on a scale of 5. Underweight and extremely lethargic she arrived at The Horse Trust on 14 September weighing just under 300kg, emaciated, dehydrated and suffering from internal and external parasites which are now being treated.
On first examination by The Horse Trust team it became apparent from the way she carries her right leg that there is a problem; this was probably among the many reasons she was callously dumped. In addition to the obvious external afflictions her initial blood tests revealed significant liver damage, something often seen in abandoned horses that have had to scavenge to survive and eat toxic plants. Duchess has been put on a carefully controlled diet designed in conjunction with our veterinary surgeon to prevent the potentially fatal occurrence of Re-feeding Syndrome.
Duchess' treatment continues and further tests, X-rays and examinations will help to establish the full extent her extreme neglect has had on her health. At this early stage it is clear that Duchess is a sick horse and needs to be monitored around the clock by The Horse Trust's Equine team and vet.
Although Duchess has been eating well and has gained a very small amount of weight, she will need to be continually monitored and treated for intestinal parasites as these may be seriously affecting her ability to absorb the important nutrients that she desperately needs to recover. Given time and the right diet we hope her general health will improve although the issues with her leg and pelvis remain a very real concern.
The dumping of horses that are no longer of value to the owners happens daily around the country. Jeanette Allen, Chief Executive of The Horse Trust said "Duchess is not a unique case, sadly there has been an alarming increase in the number of horses being abandoned across the UK. In her condition Duchess has little commercial value and unfortunately this means more and more horses like her are being abandoned and left to fend for themselves. Duchess is just one of many victims of the national equine welfare crisis."
As part of the mission to improve the welfare of every horse in the country The Horse Trust builds partnerships with local authorities and partner organisations like the Verderers and Agisters of the New Forest to provide education for local people on the information they can collect if they see something untoward happening. They also support the enforcement agencies in collating the evidence needed to bring the perpetrators of disgraceful abandonments like Duchess to be brought before the legal system.
It is uncertain what the future holds for Duchess, or if indeed there will be a future for her, only time and tests will tell. For now, each day must be taken as it comes, and the dedicated staff at The Horse Trust will be doing everything possible to help Duchess win her battle for survival.
Notes for Editors
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