Pony abandoned near V Festival with serious injuries
The RSPCA hopes festival-goers may be able to help identify the person who abandoned a pony with a deep infected wound.
The mare, who has since been named Marble, was discovered in a field close to V Festival, on the same weekend that the popular Staffordshire event took place (18 August).
Marble had two serious leg wounds that required urgent treatment.
“The poor pony had a large puncture wound to her near hind leg, and a deep infected laceration to a fore leg which was so large that the vet was able to put his whole hand into it,” said RSPCA inspector Jackie Hickman, who was called out to the field and immediately called a vet.
“There was so much pus running down her leg. The vet believed she had been suffering like this for at least a week.
“It looked as though someone had tried treating the injury previously as there was purple iodine spray on it, but the wound was just so large that it had not healed.
“The mare had a headcollar on so it is clear she was once owned, but she wasn’t microchipped so we have no way of knowing where she came from.”
Never miss out on the latest happenings in the equestrian world
Marble is now recovering at a private livery yard.
“It was clear Marble was in pain and it is not acceptable to leave an animal to suffer in this way,” added inspector Hickman.
Continued below…
Pumphill Fandango was "underweight, neglected and miserable” when
‘Seeing Monty and the other horses’ faces made
“She was abandoned on the same weekend as the V Festival, which was happening just a few miles away in Weston Park, so it may be that festival-goers may have seen something which may help us in our investigation.”
Marble was dumped in an open ploughed field in Whitehouse Lane, in Codsall, South Staffordshire.
Anyone with information is urged to contact the RSPCA by calling 03001238018.
For all the latest news analysis, competition reports, interviews, features and much more, don’t miss Horse & Hound magazine, on sale every Thursday
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.