A pony who was abandoned by her owner during a difficult foaling – and had to undergo surgery to remove the dead foal – has been rescued and “given the second chance she deserves”.
A member of the public reported to welfare charity HAPPA that part-bred Welsh mare Treacle had been left on council-owned land and was in urgent need of veterinary help, in April.
A spokesperson for HAPPA said Treacle’s story is one of “remarkable resilience”.
“Abandoned by her owner during a difficult foaling, she was rushed for surgery to remove her deceased foal,” she said. “After a brief stay at the veterinary clinic, she was travelled safely to HAPPA’s Shores Hey Farm for further treatment and rehabilitation.
“Arriving traumatised by her ordeal, underweight, and infested with lice, Treacle needed intensive care, so the HAPPA equine care team jumped into action, giving the love and attention she needed to recover from her ordeal.”
HAPPA equine care officer Lauren Brown said Treacle spent three weeks recovering in isolation, but with “much-needed love and attention”.
“She wasn’t the biggest fan of taking her antibiotics, unless it was mixed with molasses, also known as treacle, which is where she got her name,” Lauren said. “Originally, Treacle was quite a defensive mare [but] with lots of time and patience, and since moving on to the main yard, she has gotten much better with this and is proving to be a sweet pony.”
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The spokesperson said Treacle’s hooves were very overgrown, and after a few weeks’ practice, she was picking all four feet up happily, which meant they could be trimmed.
“Once Treacle had settled and had all her treatments, she was able to go out in the fields and make some new friends,” the spokesperson said. “She struggled to socialise at first, but soon accepted the other mares and has now had a very happy summer living out with them.
“HAPPA is hoping that in future Treacle will make a riding pony, but for now the equine care team is still doing desensitisation work to prepare her for the big, wide world. She is proving to be rather confident and takes everything in her stride, which is nice to see after her rough start to life. The charity is excited to see what the future holds for Treacle.”
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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.
