17 October 2019

Redwings offers safe, forever home to rescued Arabs

Five Arabian horses rescued from desperate squalor have been pledged a safe, forever home at Redwings Horse Sanctuary.

The group, along with 26 Arabian horses, were removed from a site in Blackpool in September 2018 in a major RSPCA-led operation, supported by a Redwings welfare vet and other equine welfare organisations.

Many of the horses were suffering with crippling lameness from severely overgrown hooves and had to be broken out of their stables due to the piles of dirty bedding stacked up against the doors.

In July 2019, their former owner was convicted under the Animal Welfare Act, was banned from keeping all animals for 10 years and fined £4,000.

Since the conclusion of the case, the RSPCA has been looking for loving new homes for the surviving horses, and this month Redwings welcomed five in need of specialist care into the Sanctuary.

The group are currently living close to the charity’s Horse Hospital in Norfolk, where Redwings’ vet team continue to keep a close eye on them.

Welfare Vet Roxane Kirton, who attended the rescue, said: “I had never seen horses in so much pain before. I was shocked and horrified at the conditions they were living in and I’ve seen some terrible cases of neglect over the years. It’s really nice then to be involved in the care of the group now living at Redwings.

“We specialise in sanctuary care and the group we’ve provided a home for are quite elderly and require intensive care for issues, such as ongoing lameness, dental problems and liver disease, as a result of their previous dreadful neglect. A couple of them are also still very shy of humans which is not surprising.

“Unfortunately this means they won’t be appropriate candidates for our rehoming scheme in the future, but we are very happy to provide them with a safe home and all the love we can for the rest of their lives.”

Redwings is a registered charity and all the care it provides for its rescued residents is 100% funded by donations.

To donate towards the care of Redwings’ rescued Arabian horses, please call 01508 481000 or click here to donate.