Exhausted and riddled with worms: colt found ‘minutes from death’
A colt found skinny, exhausted and “minutes from death”, dumped on his own in the mud, has been making good progress since his rescue.
A dog-walker found skewbald Adie in a ploughed field in Headcorn, Kent, on New Year’s Eve.
RSPCA inspector Rosie Russon was sent to the scene.
“Poor Adie was just lying there in the middle of this enormous bare field,” she said.
“The ground around him was churned up where he had obviously been struggling to get back up after collapsing, but he had become so weak he could barely lift his head; it was very sad to see.
“He wasn’t emaciated like many of the dumped ponies we see, but he was very skinny, absolutely freezing and completely exhausted – he really was minutes from death so he is extremely lucky the dog walker found him when she did.”
The walker offered Adie some water, which he was keen to drink, and Ms Russon had hay in her car, which the colt “desperately” tried to eat.
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“While we waited for the vet, we knew we had to keep Adie warm and alert, and the dog walker was extremely kind and fetched dog blankets and the boot liner from her car. A local horse rider who had passed us appeared on foot, bringing us a horse rug from her yard, and we used this as a sling to raise Aide to his feet. It was by no means an easy job, but between nine of us we managed to haul him up and keep him steady.
“The kindness of these people was very moving.”
Adie had a “severe” worm burden and his situation was “touch and go”, even after he had been transferred to private boarding stables but he is now “through the worst”, Ms Russon said.
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“I’m delighted that now one month since his rescue, his future is much brighter,” she added. “He is still being treated with steroids and receiving parasite treatment to clear him completely of all those worms that were making him so ill, but hopefully before long we can look to find him a loving new home,” she added. “He’s a beautiful standardbred who will be fairly tall when he’s fully grown, so he will be the perfect riding horse for someone one day.”
The RSPCA said it is likely Adie was led into the field, off New House Lane, through a small footpath entrance and dumped shortly before he was found, on 31 December 2017. Anyone with information, or who wants to donate to an appeal for Adie’s care, is asked to call the charity on 0300 1238018.
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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.