Most owners strive to provide the very best horse care for their equines, despite today’s challenging economic circumstances, but sometimes standards fall well short of adequate care. A recent welfare case involving a young filly was such an instance, and staff at World Horse Welfare have highlighted her remarkable recovery.
The youngster was discovered emaciated, covered in lice and tied to an old bike, which had been wrapped in barbed wire. She was found by Field Officer Becky Bedson at a site in Hertfordshire and has since been named ‘Pedals’.
On 28 February, the charity’s support team received a report from a concerned member of the public which described the filly’s situation as, “tethered yearling, no water, no grass on mud patch, no hay, out in all weather, underweight and very depressed.”
Becky went to investigate and found Pedals in a “shockingly poor state”.
“She was in a really poor body condition when we found her. Her hips and spine were protruding, and she was covered in lice,” Becky said. “She was actually tethered to an old bike that she was dragging around with her. The rest of the tether was attached to a fence, so she couldn’t drag it all over the field, but it was a significant hazard and potentially could have caused her some really bad injuries.
“Tethering isn’t illegal, but it must be done safely. And to tether a horse to a bike that it was dragging around behind it, where it could really get significant injuries if it got tangled up or stood on it, it’s just not acceptable.”
Despite being so young, Pedals had shoes on all four feet, a concerning sign suggesting she had been used for some form of work, and at such a young age that would have been “completely inappropriate”, the charity stressed.
A new start
Efforts to locate Pedals’ owner proved unsuccessful and abandonment notices yielded no response. With both a vet and police confirming her suffering was of a level for her to be taken in, she was rescued under the Animal Welfare Act. Once deemed fit for travel, she was transported to World Horse Welfare’s Hall Farm Rescue and Rehoming Centre to begin her road to recovery.
Pedals has since transformed into a “sweet and loving” filly, with an “incredible temperament” and she is now ready to start a new chapter in her life.
“Pedals has completely transformed, she looks completely different, I wouldn’t recognise her if I hadn’t been told who she was, she was in really, really poor body condition,” said Becky. “And, to be honest, I think she was close to not surviving.
“The best part of my job is to be able to remove these horses and ponies from these terrible situations and then be able to come and look at them fully recovered, with an amazing prospect of a new home and a great life.”
The pretty skewbald is now ready for rehoming following rehabilitation. She has joined over 70 other horses and ponies who are also seeking forever homes since being rescued by the charity.
World Horse Welfare is the largest equine rescue and rehoming charity in the UK, rehabilitating and finding new homes for approximately 300 horses every year. Rehomers receive an honest assessment of their chosen horse’s capabilities and ongoing support, with the reassurance that the rehomed horse can be returned to the charity if circumstances change.
For more information on the rehoming process and to find out more about Pedals, visit World Horse Welfare’s rehoming website here.
