Owners’ heartbreak: pony put down after eating grass cuttings
Owners are reminded to be vigilant against well-meaning members of the public feeding horses grass mowings, after a horse died from colic.
Piebald cob Dolly, owned by 15-year-old Hope Gimson and her mother Donna, was found suffering from colic in her field in Hemel Hempstead three weeks ago.
Donna and Hope saw grass choppings near five-year-old Dolly’s field and feared she may have eaten some of these to cause the colic.
Vets found this was the case, and that the mowings had impacted into a solid mass, causing Dolly’s colon to twist.
Dolly had surgery at the Royal Veterinary Hospital (RVC) in Potters Bar in the early hours of the following morning (24 July).
“From then on, we were on a rollercoaster,” said Hope.
“The night just before the operation, Mum and I were at the hospital saying goodbye, just in case Dolly didn’t make it. But at 3am, the vet phoned Mum to say Dolly had come through the colic surgery but she wasn’t out of the woods yet.”
Never miss out on the latest happenings in the equestrian world
Over the next ten days, Dolly remained at the RVC.
She came home on 4 August as she seemed to be recovering but two days later she became very ill with colic again.
“The vet came out, but nothing she did helped,” said Donna.
“After talking it over with a couple of friends who knew a lot about cases like Dolly, they helped us understand that Dolly had long-term damage to her digestive system and that she was never going to properly recover.
“Dolly was clearly suffering and, while it was the most heartbreaking decision Hope has ever had to make, I am so proud of her that she put Dolly’s needs before her own.”
Dolly was put to sleep on 6 August.
Hope and Donna now want to raise awareness to prevent a similar tragedy.
“Members of the public can cause all sorts of problems by feeding horses in their fields because they are unaware of the potential dangers,” added Donna.
Related articles:
- Colic: what to do while you wait for the vet
- Grand prix showjumper recovering after colic surgery
- Gold medal-winning dressage pony dies due to colic
In Dolly’s case, the mowings had been left outside her field and the person responsible did not realise they were within Dolly’s reach.
“Like most horses, Dolly was very greedy,” said Hope.
“We knew it was the grass cuttings, because Dolly’s mane had been caught on the fence as she stretched between the wire to reach them and that is what the vets found in her stomach.”
Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now
Rachael joined Horse & Hound in 2014, initially as a digital sub editor then became part of the news team as a writer in 2015. The philosophy graduate studied journalism at the Press Association before working as a local reporter at the Brentwood Gazette. Rachael is now a mum of two and still loves all things equestrian, including hacking, dressage and jumping with her cob Bert. Rachael left the H&H staff to go freelance in June 2019, but still contributes to our magazine and website, as well as our sister magazine Country Life, among others.