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Orphaned foal blossoms into ‘adorable young chap’ after traumatic rescue


  • An orphaned foal whose mother was found trapped in barbed wire has grown into a happy, healthy yearling.

    The Welsh pony arrived at Redwings’ Ada Cole Centre, near Harlow in Essex, as a frightened four-month-old last August.

    Charlie, as he’s been named, has now blossomed into a friendly 10hh handsome youngster.

    His mother was not so lucky.

    She was discovered on 2 August 2017 by Redwings, working with the RSPCA, stuck in a barbed wire fence at a site near Basildon in Essex.

    The mare was severely underweight and after being cut out was rushed to the nearby House and Jackson equine hospital for emergency treatment.

    Vets tried to save her but she had to be put down.

    Article continues below…


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    Charlie was treated at the equine hospital for a large worm burden and a week later taken to Redwings Ada Cole centre.

    Charlie when rescued as a four-month-old foal

    “We’re really proud of how far Charlie has come since his rescue,” said Redwings’ senior field officer Jo Franklin.

    “To have lost his mum at such a young age must have been traumatic for him, but 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.

    “Charlie now has a forever home at Redwings, safe from ever having to face the kind of terrifying ordeal his poor mum went through.”

    Redwings is the largest horse sanctuary in the UK with 1,500 horses across its 10 sanctuary farms.

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