NANCY & HER FOALS – SECOND CHANCE APPEAL

Three vulnerable foals. One desperately neglected mare. Four lives that could so easily have ended in tragedy.

When we first became aware of the heartbreaking situation involving these four abandoned ponies, we knew we had to do everything within our power to help them.

At the centre of this little family was a remarkable mare who, despite being in desperately poor physical condition herself, had somehow managed to keep three vulnerable foals together and alive.

But perhaps the most heartbreaking part of all was that only one of these three babies was believed to be hers.

The other two were orphan foals who, through no fault of their own, had found themselves without their mothers and desperately in need of someone to look after them.

At roughly three months old, these two little foals were far too young to have been ripped away from their mothers. At an age when they should still have been receiving their mothers’ milk, protection and reassurance, they had instead found themselves abandoned and facing an incredibly uncertain future.

And somehow, despite being in desperately poor condition herself and already having a foal of her own to care for, this remarkable mare had taken these two vulnerable youngsters under her wing.

Already struggling to maintain her own body condition, she had continued to put the needs of these three youngsters before her own. By the time we reached her, she had very little left to give.

Following days of planning, complicated arrangements, hours of travelling and an enormous amount of teamwork, we were finally able to bring all four ponies safely back to Woodfield Equine Sanctuary.

And it was here that their long road to recovery would begin.

We have named this extraordinary mare Nancy, after the character in Oliver Twist who showed such determination to protect vulnerable children.

Her own foal, who we believe to be the biggest and strongest of the three, has been named Bill.

And the two younger orphan foals, who Nancy had so remarkably taken responsibility for, have been named Charlie and Delta.

But getting them safely to Woodfield was only the beginning.

Nancy is in desperately poor body condition and is also suffering from significant scouring (diarrhoea), which has given us further cause for concern.

Samples have been sent away for testing to help establish what is causing her digestive problems, and in the meantime she requires medication, close monitoring and a carefully controlled diet.

Despite how desperately she needs to regain weight, we cannot simply give her large quantities of feed. Her recovery must be carefully managed to avoid making her condition worse.

And then there are the three foals.

Charlie and Delta are particularly vulnerable and require additional nutritional support, including milk supplementation and specially formulated foal creep pellets, to give their growing bodies the nourishment they desperately need.

Bill, although noticeably stronger and healthier, also needs careful monitoring and appropriate nutrition.

Sadly, Nancy has not been allowing any of the three foals to suckle, possibly because her own body has become so depleted that she has very little milk left to give.

Each of these four ponies has very different needs, and all four will require considerable time, veterinary attention, specialist feeding and ongoing care.

We have been able to accommodate them in neighbouring bays, separated only by a gate, allowing them to remain close to one another while we provide the individual care and feeding programmes they need.

And while we are incredibly relieved to have them safely in our care, we are also very aware of the enormous responsibility we have now taken on.

Here at Woodfield Equine Sanctuary, we already have WELL over 60 rescued horses and ponies depending on us every single day.

As we enter what is traditionally our busiest and most demanding time of year, our resources are already stretched.

Taking on another four vulnerable equines means additional veterinary bills, medication, specialist feeds, bedding, ongoing treatment and potentially many months of rehabilitation.

But when faced with four innocent lives in such desperate need, how could we possibly turn our backs on them?

Nancy has already done everything she possibly could to keep these three little foals safe.

Now it’s our turn to do everything we possibly can for her.

And this is where we desperately need your help.

We are asking our wonderful supporters, and anyone who has been touched by Nancy’s story, to consider making a donation towards the care and rehabilitation of this remarkable little family.

Every pound donated will help us continue providing the veterinary treatment, specialist nutrition and ongoing care they so desperately need.

No donation is ever too small, and if you are unable to contribute financially, simply sharing their story can make an enormous difference.

We cannot undo the neglect these ponies have suffered, nor can we change the circumstances that left three tiny foals and one exhausted mare fighting to survive.

But together, we can make sure their future is very different.

Nancy has spent so long looking after everyone else.

Now, finally, someone is looking after Nancy.

From all of us at Woodfield Equine Sanctuary, and on behalf of Nancy, Bill, Charlie and Delta, thank you for helping us give this little family the chance they deserve.