Suki(Arrived at Hope Pastures 4th August 2009)
Re-homed August 2009
We occasionally get asked to house stray horses, ponies and donkeys by the police until an owner can be traced and/or the relevant welfare societies can assess whether the animal should be subject of a cruelty or neglect prosecution, should the owner be found.
Most recently we took in a lovely pony who had serious health problems, long hooves and was underweight.
We immediately placed the mare in isolation and called the vets out, and after several visits by the vet and a trip to the equine hospital for x-rays,it was found that the mare had severe deformities to her soft palette and her swallowing mechanisms which caused her feed to go down the wrong tube.
The vets said she would need special care for the rest of her life but was not in any pain and could enjoy life as a pet pony with an experienced owner.
This treatment came at a massive cost to ourselves but the mare was given a special diet and with careful management she gained weight and strength.
After several months of trying to trace an owner and having no luck, we were able to claim ownership of the pony and she is now in a loving new home where she is well cared for and will spend the rest of her life.
We also get many calls about stray horses who have escaped from their fields or tethers, in these cases if the police are not able to assist and there is an immediate threat of injury to the horses, we will go and catch the horses and take them in until their owners can collect them, or if it is a local horse who is known to us we will contact the owners or return them to their field.
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Suki on arrival at Hope pastures
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