Pony found with headcollar embedded ‘down to nasal bone’ *warning: graphic images*

A piebald yearling abandoned in fields near Dublin with a headcollar embedded in his head was rescued last week (26 May).

The charity My Lovely Horse Rescue had been trying to rescue the horse for six weeks after a member of the public reported the wounds on his head.

The pony was running wild in a 100-acre common area in Clondalkin near Dublin.

After first attempts to catch him failed, the charity arranged for more volunteers to corral the horses but they still couldn’t get near them.

*Warning: graphic images*: the removed headcollar; Gerry’s injury; the wound

Appeals for help were made to other organisations; within an hour Dublin Zoo’s operations manager Gerry Creighton volunteered to try and catch the horse using a tranquilliser gun.

At the fourth attempt on 26 May the herd was calmer and after four hours and four darts the pony was finally sedated and taken to the charity’s rescue centre.

“As soon as we caught him we cut sections of the headcollar away to relieve the pressure to his face, however part of the headcollar across his nose was actually embedded right down to his nasal bone so needed veterinary treatment,” said Emma-Lousie Keegan, one of the charity’s volunteers.

The vet removed the old embedded head collar and treated the maggot infested wound.

The pony has been named Gerry after his rescuer.

“Gerry is improving every day. We have been washing and cleaning the wound daily and it’s looking very good,” said Ms Keegan.

But the injury is so deep it is expected to take months to heal.

“This is one of the worst cases of neglect we’ve seen so far. The headcollar was put on when Gerry was a foal and left there,” added Ms Keegan.

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