Do you know who owns these ponies?

A herd of homeless ponies has been rounded up after being found wandering through Oxfordshire farmland.

The RSPCA is now appealing for help to track down the ponies’ owner. They are not microchipped.

The group of 5 mares, thought to range in age from 5 to 12, was discovered loose in Burford last week (11 March). Farmers had managed to herd them into a fallow field, but the dry-stone walling was low and the ponies could have escaped on to the roads.

The RSPCA and Blue Cross caught the ponies and they are now in veterinary care.

“Thames Valley Police seized them and signed them over to the RSPCA’s care,” said inspector Doug Davidson. “The vet found that 2 of them were lame, 1 severely, and another was severely emaciated.”

If no owner is found within 21 days, the ponies will be put up for rehoming.

“I would really like to speak to the owner of these ponies, [or] anyone who recognises them or knows who owns them,” said Inspector Davidson. “Sadly this sort of incident is not uncommon. The country is in the grip of a horse crisis with horses regularly being dumped dead or dying, and charities have to pick up the pieces.”

Anyone with information should contact tel: 0300 1238018

Martha Terry

H&H features editor

Martha is an experienced journalist who is mad-keen on horses and dogs. Her reporting CV includes the Paris Olympics, European championships, Aachen World Equestrian Festival and World Cup finals. After growing up with assorted liver and white springer spaniels, she enjoyed 14 years with two rescue dogs. Now, her constant companion is Fidget, an extremely energetic and habitually muddy black and white springer. Martha has written on topics as diverse as a top horse’s clone to the best GPS trackers for dogs, as well as equestrian and rural matters for Country Life, The Field, The Times, The Spectator and The Telegraph alongside Horse & Hound.