A foal who was dumped in a ditch at a day old has recently been rehomed and can look forward to a bright future.
Charley came to World Horse Welfare after being rescued from Cheshire nine months ago. Firefighters freed her from the ditch and she was moved to a veterinary hospital where she could be given life-saving treatment.
Following improvement in her condition, she was transferred to Penny Farm, the charity’s Rescue and Rehoming Centre near Blackpool, Lancashire.
There was no response to attempts to find Charley’s owner, and her dam had been nowhere to be seen when Charley was discovered, so the team at Penny Farm began hand-rearing her, feeding her by bottle every two hours around the clock for several months.
By August, Charley was strong enough to begin spending time out in a paddock with some of the other youngsters at Penny Farm, where she began to learn how to interact with other horses.
Charley went from strength to strength and earlier this month she was ready to leave Penny Farm and begin her new life with her rehomer. Going initially as a youngster and companion to rehomer, Sian’s, other horse, Charley has settled in very well.
“It’s remarkable, within 10 minutes of meeting my other horse it was like they’d always been together, grazing together but happy to go their own ways,” said Sian.
“She’s very playful and yesterday she tipped over the full wheelbarrow after poo-picking the field and then she waited until I’d refilled it and did it again! Having learned that trick she got bored and wandered off! She makes us laugh so much and we absolutely love her.”
Sian said she looked forward to the future with Charley. She plans to take her out for walks to get her used to seeing different things and when she is old enough, she is hoping to back her, so that she can be ridden and enjoy hacking around the local countryside.
“Rehoming a horse is an immensely rewarding experience,” added a World Horse Welfare spokesman. “Most of the rehomed horses have had difficult lives before coming into the charity and rehoming offers them a vital second chance, as well as making space in the farms for more horses that desperately need help.
“Our rehoming website sets out the rehoming process clearly and makes applications straightforward. Rehomers receive an honest assessment of their chosen horse and their capabilities, as well as ongoing support and the reassurance that if their circumstances change, the rehomed horse can be returned to us.”
Visit the World Horse Welfare rehoming site
