The charity was made aware of a group of ponies being kept close to the A40 at Denham, Buckinghamshire, after members of the public raised concerns for their welfare. On visiting the ponies last week one was discovered stuck in the bog, with dangerous barbed wire nearby.
An RSPCA spokesman said inspector Becky Timberlake knew she would have to act fast to save the “terrified” colt, but would need help from the fire service to free him.
“We’ve been checking on this group for a while to make sure they’re doing okay as we have yet to get to the bottom of who owns them,” she said.
“Unfortunately during our checks we found this lovely young colt completely stuck between a barbed wire fence and a drainage ditch. He was completely bogged down and there was no way he could have got out on his own. He must have been so anxious to be away from his herd.”
Becky called for support from the charity’s equine welfare operations manager Claudia Corner, who attended to assess the situation.
“We knew we’d need the help of the fire service to move him – even a young pony still weighs a huge amount and if a horse panics they can be really dangerous to themselves and others,” said Becky.
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“Luckily the London Fire Brigade were able to spare some time to help us to gently guide the colt through the mud and up the bank to safety. We couldn’t have done it without them and are always so grateful for their support in rescuing animals whenever they can.”
The spokesman said “thankfully” the colt was not injured, but he was in poor condition.
“A vet visited to check him over and they certified he was likely to suffer if he wasn’t helped further, so after police placed him into RSPCA care, he was transported to a specialist boarding stables,” he said.
Becky added the colt, nicknamed Teddy, is “recovering well and enjoying plenty of TLC”.
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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.
