At the time Sarah Hollister, of the equine welfare team at HorseWorld, said: “The foal was extremely weak when we picked him up and he is suffering from a severe infection in his joints which may also have caused some liver damage.”
But now James is “full of bounce” and happily living with foster mother Cassie, a six-year-old Welsh Section A mare belonging to Nicky Chalk of East Knoyle (pictured below).
(Image credit: creditUnknown)
Cassie had given birth to a badly deformed foal that had to be put to sleep.
Nicky said: “Cassie was very distressed when she lost her foal — it was her second and I know from experience that she is a brilliant mum.
“As soon as I heard about James I contacted HorseWorld and when Cassie saw him she loved him straight away. I think she believes he is her foal.”
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Vets now believe that James will make a full recovery.
He will spend at least six months with Cassie before returning to HorseWorld once he is weaned.
(Image credit: creditUnknown)
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A self-confessed newshound, farmer’s daughter and journalist of many years' experience, Charlotte worked on regional papers before joining H&H in 2007. A regular rider, she visited Ireland in 2010 to investigate the fate of Irish horses through the recession, to much acclaim, and reported from the FEI General Assembly in Rio de Janeiro in 2011. She left Horse & Hound in March 2013.
