A youngster found so severely injured that her tendons were exposed has been receiving round-the-clock care to give her the best chance of survival.
The RSPCA was notified by a passer-by about the one-year-old filly, named Georgie by the charity, discovered tangled in barbed wire and bleeding from her leg in a field in Redhill, Surrey, on 2 November.
A charity spokesman said RSPCA inspector Andrew Kirby attended the location and was shocked by the filly’s injury.
“Georgie’s injuries are very severe,” said RSPCA senior equine vet Roxane Kirton.
“Her leg was extremely swollen and the lacerations from the barbed wire were dirty, infected, and had cut her so deep that her tissue and tendons were exposed. Despite this, she was challenging to catch, but once the team put a headcollar on her she settled.”
Ms Kirton said Georgie was found “just in time”.
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“Andrew called the veterinary team at Lingfield Equine Vets who rushed to the field to treat Georgie,” she said.
“Since then they have been working round the clock to treat the infection and she’s definitely not out of the woods yet, but she is improving every day which is a huge relief to us all.”
The spokesman added that an owner has not come forward to claim Georgie and the charity believes she was abandoned before she was injured.
“Once Georgie is well enough to leave the veterinary hospital she will be cared for at a private boarding stables to continue her rehabilitation, and in time the equine team will find her a loving new home,” he said.
“As a charity we rely on generous donations from animal lovers, and we are so humbled to have been able to cover the cost of Georgie’s ongoing treatment thanks to our loyal supporters. Georgie’s story is a true example of how we really can only do the work we do thanks to the generosity of the public and our donors.”
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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.
