HAPPA brings hope for three rescued horses

Three horses found desperately in need of rescue have been successfully taken into the care of HAPPA’s team at Shores Hey Farm, where they continue down the long road to recovery under the watchful eye of the Equine Care Team.

 HAPPA (Horse and Ponies Protection Association) has rescued three horses in the Greater Manchester area following an investigation by a HAPPA Equine Inspector. On arrival, it was clear that the horses were suffering and had lost a lot of weight, as well as having rain scald and sores on their bodies.

Equine Inspector Tracy Heaton was able find their owner, who signed their care over to HAPPA to prevent further suffering. They were then transported to Shores Hey Farm, one of the charity’s rescue centres, based in Lancashire. Tracy said: “HAPPA is continuing to take every call of concern very seriously. Following strict government guidelines regarding social distancing, I investigated a report from a concerned member of the public over these three horses. When I arrived at the scene, I was alarmed at just how thin they were – they simply hadn’t been receiving a suitable diet to sustain their body weight. It was evident that if action wasn’t taken soon there may have been a very different outcome”.

 The three horses were assessed as having body condition scores of just one, one and a half and two respectively. They’re settling well into the Assessment Unit at Shores Hey Farm and are responding well in the capable hands of HAPPA’s Equine Care Team. Now named, 17-year-old grey gelding HAPPA Rainbow, 12-year-old palomino mare HAPPA Violet, and bay Andalusian gelding HAPPA Indigo, are enjoying rehabilitation programmes designed specifically for their needs to gain weight, receive veterinary attention and get started on the road to recovery.

Senior Equine Care Officer, Kelly Laird, said: “It’s still very early days for Rainbow, Violet and Indigo, but we hope that with specialist care and a little bit of TLC they should begin to recover from their ordeal. I’m just so happy that we are able to offer a second chance to these horses and ensure a better future for them all”.

For more information, visit happa.org.uk