Underweight horses given new life at Lincolnshire charity

Two horses kept on “barren land” are on the road to recovery after being taken in by a Bransby horse charity.
Ivor when he arrived at the charity.Ivor when he arrived at the charity.
Ivor when he arrived at the charity.

Ivor and Blue Moon, arrived at Bransby Horses underweight and with overgrown hooves.

The horses were given to the charity by The British Horse Society welfare team, after the horses’ needs were no longer being met.

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Workers at the equine welfare charity, which is one of the largest in the UK, said the horses are putting on weight but their feet are “still healing”.

Blue Moon when he arrived.Blue Moon when he arrived.
Blue Moon when he arrived.

Bay Thoroughbred Ivor and Blue Moon, a grey Warmblood, were kept on land which was “steep and barren” and according to the charity was “not the best places for horses to graze”.

Their body condition was rated 0.5 out of five by the charity, which has been looking after horses, donkeys and mules for the last 50 years.

Jessica Marshall-Pearce, from the charity, said: “All horses, Thoroughbreds and Warmbloods in particular need a knowledgeable and hands-on owner.

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“Like other horses, they also need plenty of forage in the colder months, so they can generate more body heat to keep themselves warm.

Ivor enjoying life at the charity.Ivor enjoying life at the charity.
Ivor enjoying life at the charity.

“Due to their difficult experience, they also depended heavily on each other for emotional support, meaning they didn’t like to be separated.

“Despite this they were so well behaved, being handled by our team and getting in and out of the horse boxes.”

As soon as the pair arrived at the 600-acre site they were immediately put out into a field with plenty of spring grass to eat and given rugs, to keep them warm.

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Within 24 hours, they also had a full vet check, dental treatment and a visit from a farrier to treat their overgrown hooves.

Blue Moon after treatment by the charity.Blue Moon after treatment by the charity.
Blue Moon after treatment by the charity.

Elijah Kettle, education and campaign officer at the charity, said:“As a horse owner, the land and facilities where you keep your animals is very important and the area needs to be safe and free of anything that could be hazardous.

“During the winter months, it’s also essential that plenty of forage is provided to maintain their bodyweight and temperature.

“Both regular hoof and dental treatments are an important part of a general health routine, if these are overlooked, health issues can occur which are often painful and cause unnecessary suffering.”