‘What have we turned into?’ £2,000 reward after dumped mare died while giving birth
A vet has offered a £2,000 reward after a mare was found dumped, having died while she was giving birth.
A dog-walker came across the body of the grey pony, who was about 12hh and seven years old, on Wednesday (3 January) at about 6.30pm in the Calverton area of Nottinghamshire.
The dog-walker called police and the RSPCA, and vet Janice Dixon, who came out that evening.
“I was just disgusted,” Miss Dixon told H&H.
“What have we turned into? What is it that can make a human being do this? That little horse didn’t ask to be owned by a human; you don’t have to have a horse but if you do, treat it with respect.”
Miss Dixon, who set up charity Help for Horses last year in an attempt to combat fly-grazing and neglect in Nottinghamshire, said the mare seemed to have been in good condition, but was covered in mud, having been lying down to give birth.
“They’ve found her and rather than pay for the knackerman, have just dumped her by the road,” Miss Dixon said.
Never miss out on the latest happenings in the equestrian world
“She looked like she’d have been a lovely pony, why did she have the misfortune to end up owned by someone like that? The fact she was foaling at this time of year shows irresponsibility by itself.
“The poor foal didn’t have a chance; it just stinks.”
Warning: distressing images.
The offered reward, for information which leads to the prosecution of whoever dumped the mare, has already had an effect, as two people have rung Miss Dixon.
“The more people see I’m offering £2,000, the more likely someone’s going to squeal,” she said. “You can’t dump a pony like that on your own.
“I want to nail whoever did this, and set an example to the rest of them.”
The RSPCA is also appealing for information about the “very upsetting incident”.
“We have been made aware of the body of a horse which appeared to have been dumped in a car park in Oxton Road, Calverton, on Wednesday evening,” a spokesman said.
Related articles:
- Colt with broken neck dumped alive on rubbish pile *warning, graphic image*
- Life ban for case of ‘unfathomable neglect’
- ‘There are no excuses for suffering’: shining a spotlight on ‘invisible horses’
“This sounds like a very upsetting incident for anyone who saw the horse’s body and we are keen to find out how this horse ended up being dumped like this.
“We are urging anyone who has any information to contact us in complete confidence on 0300 1238018.”
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
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.