A young pony left wounded in the road after the driver of the vehicle that hit him drove away is recovering well, and has been a “joy” to look after.
The cob colt sustained injuries to his face and hindquarters in July, and was taken to World Horse Welfare’s Hall Farm in Norfolk.
“The police and a vet had attended after the pony, now named Arthur, had been hit and got him moved out of the road, but it was clear that the pony was in urgent need of rescuing,” a spokesperson for the charity said. “
World Horse Welfare’s yard supervisor Lorraine Holmes said it appeared Arthur had had very little handling.
“But he has such a wonderful nature, I was able to get a headcollar on him,” she said. “He loaded really well, which was amazing given what he’d just been through.
“We kept Arthur occupied with some pony nuts and he let the vet check him over thoroughly and flush the wound on his hindquarters, which we were worried could get infected.
(Image credit: World Horse Welfare)
“It was amazing how he took it all in his stride – his gentle nature really shone through. He was very happy to see some other horses in the distance when we first took him out to the field once his wounds had been treated. As soon as I let him go, he started eating and just didn’t stop!”
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The team has been treating Arthur’s wounds in line with the vet’s recommendations and they have been healing well, the spokesperson said. His groom Martha worked with him to get him used to a fly mask, which has helped protect and keep flies away from his injured face.
“Once again, Arthur was amazingly calm and was soon happy to have his fly mask on and off,” said Lorraine. “He’s a really lovely character and has been a joy to work with ever since we first brought him in – he’s come so far with his handling skills already.
“Now we’re waiting for some cooler weather so that he can be castrated as the next step in his rehabilitation journey. When he’s eventually ready to find a home of his own, whoever rehomes him is going to be getting a fabulous little pony.”
An abandonment notice was left at the place Arthur was found, but no owner came forward so he was taken into World Horse Welfare’s ownership and he will be available for rehoming in future.
Eleanor is an experienced journalist who spent over eight years working for local and national newspapers before joining H&H as news editor in March 2016. Passionate about equine welfare and exposing the truth, Eleanor has reported on all aspects of the industry, from Brexit to anti-bullying campaigns, and from dressage rules to mules. Her sport of choice is showjumping, in which she competes her own horses, and she also enjoys reporting at local jumping shows through to international championships.
