A pony who recovered from a horrific maggot-infested wound caused by a severely embedded headcollar will soon be looking for a new home.
Owner Patrick Eagle of Deans Road, Wolverhampton, appeared at Birmingham Magistrates’ Court for sentencing on 9 March, having pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to the pony at an earlier hearing.
A concerned member of the public contacted World Horse Welfare about a group of cobs kept near Walsall, West Midlands, and field officer Charlotte Melvin attended the site in October 2019.
A spokesman for the charity said Charlotte noticed a strong smell when she approached the last pony, a piebald colt thought to be a two-year-old.
“On closer inspection Charlotte discovered the pony, now named Moses, had a severely embedded headcollar. The wound was very badly infected and full of maggots,” he said.
Horse & Hound Newsletter
Never miss out on the latest happenings in the equestrian world
“Charlotte contacted the RSPCA, police, vets and a transporter. The pony was removed under the Animal Welfare Act and transported to the vets for urgent treatment.”
The spokesman said Moses remained at the vets for four days owing to the extent of his injury, after which he was taken to the charity’s Penny Farm Rescue and Rehoming Centre.
“Given how horrific the wound from his headcollar was, I’m really happy with the recovery Moses has made,” said Charlotte.
“Moses’ suffering could so easily have been prevented and it’s awful to think he could have been left like that if someone hadn’t cared enough to report the situation.”
Moses has made a full recovery from his injury.
“Thanks to the person who reported him, Moses is now happy and healthy and will be able to find a loving new home through our rehoming scheme,” said Charlotte.
In mitigation the court heard Eagle suffered from mental health issues which affected his ability to care for the pony.
He was given a 12-week suspended sentence and banned from keeping equines for 10 years. He must pay £400 costs and carry out 60 hours of unpaid work.
The spokesman added if anyone has concerns for a horse’s welfare they should call the charity’s welfare line on 0300 3336000.
Would you like to read Horse & Hound¹s independent journalism without any adverts? Join Horse & Hound Plus today and you can read all articles on HorseandHound.co.uk completely ad-free
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
Since joining H&H in 2018, Becky has covered a broad range of equestrian news including welfare matters, veterinary studies, FEI Tribunal hearings and road safety campaigns. She has also interviewed top riders including Scott Brash, John Whitaker and Ian Stark, to name just a few. Becky’s reporting has taken her to Canada for Spruce Meadows and France for Pau five-star, as well as the Royal Highland and Blair Castle International Horse Trials closer to home. She was also a key part of the remote reporting team for the Tokyo Olympics and the Europeans.
