As the Mare and Foal Sanctuary makes an urgent appeal for homes, and rescue centres across the UK are bursting at the seams, here are six horses and ponies Rachel Fraser discovered proving why rescues rule...
‘I usually try not to get upset, but to see a horse in so much pain was heartbreaking’
‘Towering at 17.3hh, he certainly wasn’t difficult to spot, yet despite his formidable size he was a real gentle giant’
Dylan was rescued from the Welsh commons in 2003
The filly was born to a mare abandoned with 18 other Shires
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Nelly was rescued after being abandoned on grassland
A school has provided a home for six of the charity’s ponies
“As one of our longest-serving adoption stars, Icky helped to raise thousands of pounds in sponsorship for himself and his companions”
‘He is growing up to be a loving and adorable young chap who everyone – two and four-legged – can’t help but fall in love with’
The pony who was rescued from horrific circumstances is celebrating with a party
Rescue donkey Del Boy was celebrating his 16th birthday during the celebrity visit
The pony lived at the sanctuary for 20 years after he was rescued from probable slaughter
The film looks back at the horrors faced by rescuers, to how they went about rehabilitating the equines and finally visits happily rehomed survivors
‘We have the potential to rehome over 500 horses living in the sanctuary who have been identified as future potential candidates as unbacked project horses’
‘All the team here love him already’
When more than 100 horses and donkeys were found at Spindle Farm in Amersham, Bucks in January 2008, it was hard to imagine that so many of them would be thriving 10 years on
Money raised through the sale of the ponies will be put towards caring for equine survivors of the 2008 Amersham crisis for the next 10 years
Redwings Horse Sanctuary is holding commemorative events in 2018 in memory of the equines who tragically lost their lives and to honour the survivors
The country’s largest horse sanctuary is encouraging more people to take on a rescue horse or pony
