The owner of a three-week-old foal who suffered horrific injuries in a suspected dog attack wants to raise awareness of the damage that can be caused.
Two mares were also injured in the attack, at Julie Griffiths’ Blue Stone Stud in Cheshire at the beginning of this week but coloured colt Ajax was the most seriously hurt.
Julie told H&H her daughter rang her on Monday morning to tell her one of her mares had a bad cut to her hip.
“I went up there with a friend and there was the palomino mare with her hip ripped open, and a dun mare with an injured foreleg,” she said.
“I saw the field was churned up where they’d been galloping about, which they don’t normally do – they’re a happy herd.
“We got them treated, one needed stitches, then I went back to the field and saw the foal, with his front ripped open. It was absolutely horrendous.”
Julie said the foal had teeth and bite marks on his quarters but the worst injury, which she believes may have been caused by the foal being chased into a fence post or other object, was a very deep gash high on a foreleg.
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“They couldn’t stitch it, it’s got to be left to granulate; he’s in a very bad way,” she said. “It’s one of the worst injuries I’ve seen in a long time; he’s lucky he didn’t break his neck or leg.”
Ajax now has to undergo a long rest and “intensive treatment”.
“We just hope he’ll get better,” Julie said. “You could see the bone.
“I can’t tell you how traumatised he is as well. You go into the box and he’s just shaking and rearing, and very sore round his bottom. My friend Helen Morris is helping me treat it as he’s so hard to handle.”
The other two mares are “doing ok”, but Julie said nine geese were also attacked the same day.
“Their throats were ripped out,” she said. “I just want people to be aware of what can happen if dogs get in fields. Seeing that foal was absolutely devastating.”
A Cheshire Police spokesman confirmed the force was called to reports a dog had attacked the foal.
The dog was at the rider’s heels as he took on the CCI3* showjumping
“Officers attended and enquiries have been made and there is no evidence of the dog having entered the farm and it is not clear how the foal’s injuries came about,” he said.
“If anyone was in the area and saw anything that may help officers establish what happened they should call Cheshire Police on 101, quoting IML 186960, give the details via the website or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.”
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Eleanor is an experienced journalist who spent over eight years working for local and national newspapers before joining H&H as news editor in March 2016. Passionate about equine welfare and exposing the truth, Eleanor has reported on all aspects of the industry, from Brexit to anti-bullying campaigns, and from dressage rules to mules. Her sport of choice is showjumping, in which she competes her own horses, and she also enjoys reporting at local jumping shows through to international championships.
