The RSPCA is urging owners to check on their horses every day after a cob got tangled in wire fencing in his field.

The animal welfare charity was contacted late on Monday afternoon (30 January) by a man who had driven past the field and was concerned for the horse as it didn’t appear to be able to move properly.

Inspector Anthony Joynes went to the scene off Arrowe Park Road, Wirral, and found the piebald cob tangled with a fence.

“This poor boy was completely entangled in the wire fencing around the field,” he said.

“Veterinary staff from a nearby surgery, a local farmer and two workers from the nearby electricity works all pitched in to help me free the cob.

“We managed to secure him with a headcollar and leadrope and offered him some hay to distract him while the farmer and I slowly began cutting away at the wire.

“The vet treated a wound caused by the wire as it tightened around the horse as he struggled to free himself, but luckily it wasn’t as serious as it could have been.

“The poor thing looked as though he’d been caught in the wire for some time and is lucky he stopped struggling when he realised he was stuck as the injuries could have been much, much worse.”

The incident highlights how important it is for horse and pony owners to ensure they are visiting their pets at least once a day to check their welfare as well as the conditions in which they are being kept.

Inspector Joynes added: “It’s easy for fencing to be damaged in windy and stormy weather so it’s really important that horse owners are checking fences, gates and perimeters of paddocks for any fencing which could cause injury or get tangled in legs.

“It’s also important to ensure that nothing potentially dangerous has been blown into the paddock.

“Thankfully, this time, we were able to free the horse before any serious injury but it’s very easy for a horse or pony to end up with life-threatening injuries from wire or barbed wire fencing.

“I’d like to thank the quick-thinking member of the public who spotted this horse in distress and immediately reported it to us and the team of kind-hearted people who helped rescue this cob from a very tricky spot. We truly are a nation of animal-lovers.”

The RSPCA has contacted the owner to ensure the paddock is checked for any additional wire fencing which could be dangerous and officers issued advice to avoid any similar incidents.

Anyone who comes across a sick or injured animal or an animal in distress should call the RSPCA’s 24-hour emergency line on 0300 1234 999.