Fundraising , UK Rescue

Little Holly was found frightened, alone and hungry, but now she’s safe this Christmas

From death's door to World Horse Welfare's face of Christmas – watch little Holly's story so far.

Posted on 21/12/2022

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Abandoned on a freezing hillside in Wales just a month before Christmas, little foal Holly was at death’s door. Thankfully she was rescued and round-the-clock care from the team at World Horse Welfare means that Holly is now looking at a bright New Year and future ahead of her.

In November World Horse Welfare was alerted to Holly’s plight by a concerned member of the public. Tony Evans, a World Horse Welfare Field Officer, eventually discovered Holly in a clump of undergrowth – her little ears popped up when she heard the sound of the approaching quad bike. Holly’s mother was nowhere to be found and it is thought that she may have been on her own for around two weeks. She was very underweight and cold, and she would almost certainly have died had she spent another night on her own.

Holly was taken to Glenda Spooner Rescue and Rehoming Centre in Somerset where the specialist team kept her warm and provided round-the-clock feeding and veterinary care. As well as her weight, Holly had a weak immune system, and was suffering from rainscald and lice. Since arriving at Glenda Spooner Farm, Holly has also suffered from pyrexia but she has an amazing spirit and immense fight for such a young and vulnerable foal and is making good progress.

Thanks to the intervention of World Horse Welfare Holly is now guaranteed a lifetime of love and security. Holly’s story is not an isolated case – this winter the charity expects to bring hundreds of neglected, abandoned and abused horses and foals in from the cold.

Against a background of cost-of-living increases, it costs World Horse Welfare even more to care for and rehabilitate each horse, like Holly, that comes into one of the four rescue and rehoming centres across the UK.

Roly Owers, Chief Executive of World Horse Welfare said:

“This year alone we have cared for 30 foals…All foals and youngsters take a great deal of specialist care, but the pressure on our resources increases exponentially when the foal doesn’t have a mother to rear them, and Holly is a particularly striking example of this. Thankfully our team was there to bring her to the warmth and safety of our Glenda Spooner Farm Rescue and Rehoming Centre and weeks on she continues to receive round-the-clock care. She is still very vulnerable, but our grooms and veterinary team are leaving nothing to chance to give her a bright future.