Deformed Hill Pony Foal and Mare In Poor Condition





Deformed foal

 



Mare in poor condition who had just given birth.  She laid down next to her foal in an effort to help it feed

  SWEP responded to a call reporting a deformed "Hill" pony foal and its mare in poor condition at Long Ash.  The foal was unable to get up and the mare had laid down alongside her foal in an effort to encourage it to drink its first milk.  The foal was taken to the SWEP yard so our vet could come out to treat it, and it was given collostrum.  The mare in poor condition was reported to its owner, who came and removed the mare from the moor.  He did not want SWEP to care for the foal and removed it from our care.  Neither the mare or foal have been seen since.

These sorts of problems and deformities in foals are usually caused by inbreeding.  SWEP has been attending to multiple reports of ponies in poor condition in this area throughout the winter and spring.