A foal who was abandoned to die when he was less than a day old is thriving as he approaches his first birthday thanks to those who went to his rescue.
Biggles was thought to be less than 24 hours old when he was found lying in a field in County Durham, his umbilical cord still present. The horse owner who found him called Here4Horses, a charity based in the area.
“Severely dehydrated, weak and unable to stand, Biggles was in a critical condition and needed urgent veterinary treatment if he was to have any chance of survival,” a Here4Horses spokesperson said.
Charity trustee Wendy Suddes took Biggles to Clevedale Veterinary Practice in Upleatham, near Guisborough, where his treatment included IV fluids, antibiotics and feeding via a tube to prevent more dehydration.
Biggles in hospital
“Once stable, he needed round-the-clock care and was bottle-fed every two hours, day and night, by Wendy and the other dedicated Here4Horses volunteers,” the spokesperson said.
“Thanks to the expertise of vets Alistair Love and Lis Watson, alongside Wendy’s unwavering dedication, Biggles beat the odds and is now thriving ahead of his first birthday in June.”
Wendy said the first 72 hours after Biggles’ rescue were critical.
“We genuinely didn’t know if he was going to make it,” she said.
“We can only assume he’d lost his mum and had been abandoned because he needed intensive care. We threw everything at him and just hoped it would be enough. Clevedale Vets were truly exceptional, and everyone showed incredible care and commitment throughout his recovery.
Biggles keeping warm at home
“We always want to be in a position to help in situations like this one and young Biggles was so lucky because without public support we simply cannot continue.”
Clevedale Vets provides cares for all the Here4Horses residents and Mr Love has overseen Biggles’ treatment since his rescue.
“Biggles was in a very poor condition when he arrived, and there was a real risk we might lose him,” he said.
“Thanks to Wendy’s dedication and the intensive care he received, he’s made an incredible recovery. It’s fantastic to see him doing so well.
“It really was a team effort, but the credit has to go to Wendy – she was there around the clock, giving him the care he needed to survive.”
It is thought Biggles, a coloured cob, will mature at about 11hh.
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