Poor little filly

[Burnttoast]

Former racehorse injured during transport makes new start at Redwings | Redwings Horse Sanctuary

A young thoroughbred mare, so badly injured during a journey from Ireland to the continent on a lorry that she was thought dead, has been brought back to health by Redwings.

www.redwings.org.uk

If this poor girl came out of the racing industry, which seems likely, it clearly has a way to go. Did someone dig her chip out before she was squashed into the lorry?

 

[Equi]

And this story is exactly why we need horses to be slaughtered in the uk and the meat shipped, not the live animal shipped first

 

[pistolpete]

Jeez that’s so sad. Bless her heart.

 

[Burnttoast]

Jeez that’s so sad. Bless her heart.

I'm fairly hard-boiled but I have to say this really got me. You're left wondering what happened to her before that lorry trip as well, given how unhappy she apparently is with human contact.

 

[Cragrat]

And this story is exactly why we need horses to be slaughtered in the uk and the meat shipped, not the live animal shipped first

Totally agree.
You cannot stop the slaughter, but insisting it happens in the UK will remove the lengthy, horrendous journeys at least. And maybe, if the regulations are actually policed and upheld, we could ensure better slaughter practice in the UK compared to some countries.

 

[Beausmate]

She's clipped, so she's probably gone directly from being in work to the meat lorry. Poor mare. Wonder who sold her, whether it was her racing owner or the next one down the line. And why?

 

[bonny]

What about the other horses on the lorry ? No one cares if they are not racehorses or they just aren’t a newsworthy story ?

 

[Amymay Again]

What about the other horses on the lorry ? No one cares if they are not racehorses or they just aren’t a newsworthy story ?

There's been plenty of threads on here in the past about live transport of horses overseas for slaughter. Every poster on this forum will be strongly against it - whatever the breed.

I think what this particular story highlights (again) is the wanten wastage in racing and how little thought is given to where the rejects end up.

 

[Burnttoast]

What about the other horses on the lorry ? No one cares if they are not racehorses or they just aren’t a newsworthy story ?

It's still a legal trade so no for most people not that newsworthy. As AA said, though, pretty much everyone here is opposed to it. One of my closest friends spent a lot of time on the ground monitoring live transport in Europe to gather data to present to the European Parliament and many people are still involved in trying to stop it.

 

[humblepie]

She's clipped, so she's probably gone directly from being in work to the meat lorry. Poor mare. Wonder who sold her, whether it was her racing owner or the next one down the line. And why?

Yes be very interesting to know.

 

[dorsetladette]

She's clipped, so she's probably gone directly from being in work to the meat lorry. Poor mare. Wonder who sold her, whether it was her racing owner or the next one down the line. And why?

Could the clip of been done to treat wounds under a long coat? Just that she was taken off the lorry 12 months ago and the photos could have been taken at any time since then, post surgery. Maybe the vets clipped her (looks like a vet clip )as she was struggling with the regular sedations.

She could easily have been another sad story of a horse who was unpredictable and miss handled. It could be that the previous owner thought they had sent the horse to an abattior to be destroyed (IE not passing on a problem/dangerous horse).

 

[Beausmate]

Could the clip of been done to treat wounds under a long coat? Just that she was taken off the lorry 12 months ago and the photos could have been taken at any time since then, post surgery. Maybe the vets clipped her (looks like a vet clip )as she was struggling with the regular sedations.

She could easily have been another sad story of a horse who was unpredictable and miss handled. It could be that the previous owner thought they had sent the horse to an abattior to be destroyed (IE not passing on a problem/dangerous horse).

I thought of that, but in the first pics, where the staples look recent she has been clipped around the wounds and the coat is shorter. Also, she's not just clipped in areas that have been treated, but evenly (ish!) in a standard, horse in work clip. And it looks quite recently done. I wonder, as you say, if she was a problem to handle and that's why she was sent on. Not right. Maybe another Pilgrim type story there

 

[dorsetladette]

I thought of that, but in the first pics, where the staples look recent she has been clipped around the wounds and the coat is shorter. Also, she's not just clipped in areas that have been treated, but evenly (ish!) in a standard, horse in work clip. And it looks quite recently done. I wonder, as you say, if she was a problem to handle and that's why she was sent on. Not right. Maybe another Pilgrim type story there

She seems to have scaring in the clipped area's but they could have been older injuries. Poor mite!

My first thought was the Pilgrim story - but I didn't know if it was right to mention the name of the horse.

I'm going to but on my tin hat now as I'm sure I'll get pelted, but from a purely financial point of view relating to using charity donations. Is this type of rescue and rehab the best use of funds? I get that the story will highlight the issues with live export but that where the usefulness of this particular horse ends. She's not easy to handle (documented that they are still working on handling her feet - a basic care need) and dealing with her treatment has been difficult throughout. Given she is unlikely to be re-homed would it have been a better financial decision to PTS. I think from a welfare I'd want to at least have that conversation early on. It may have happened and not documented, but I can't help but think they 'preserved life at all costs' rather than for the benefit of the horse. Just my opinion obviously.

 

[Beausmate]

I suppose they don't know until they try, and she is a young horse that might come right. Everyone loves a happy ending - but it is expensive. Where do you draw the line though?

 

[Burnttoast]

She seems to have scaring in the clipped area's but they could have been older injuries. Poor mite!

My first thought was the Pilgrim story - but I didn't know if it was right to mention the name of the horse.

I'm going to but on my tin hat now as I'm sure I'll get pelted, but from a purely financial point of view relating to using charity donations. Is this type of rescue and rehab the best use of funds? I get that the story will highlight the issues with live export but that where the usefulness of this particular horse ends. She's not easy to handle (documented that they are still working on handling her feet - a basic care need) and dealing with her treatment has been difficult throughout. Given she is unlikely to be re-homed would it have been a better financial decision to PTS. I think from a welfare I'd want to at least have that conversation early on. It may have happened and not documented, but I can't help but think they 'preserved life at all costs' rather than for the benefit of the horse. Just my opinion obviously.

This is true, there's no denying that there are probably better uses of funds than this, but you could say that about a huge number of rescued animals where they are difficult or impossible to rehome because of their needs, or cannot do a 'job' in the case of horses. The market for companions is not enormous but there are any number of rescued horses deemed not rideable by the welfare organisations that are trying to rehome them. I don't think there's much to be gained from asking this question of an individual case. But not many people would donate to a charity that put down a large number of rescued animals on that basis, I think, and this is the remit of these charities - to rescue animals.

 

[PeterNatt]

I would be interested in knowing who the horse transporter was who allowed over crowding of horses in their vehicles. I would also like to know the true ownership history of the horse.

 

[Burnttoast]

I would be interested in knowing who the horse transporter was who allowed over crowding of horses in their vehicles. I would also like to know the true ownership history of the horse.

Well quite. You can understand how many coloured hairies may have poor documentation but racehorses should have an excellent paper trail and it sounds like she doesn't (any more).

 

[marmalade76]

She seems to have scaring in the clipped area's but they could have been older injuries. Poor mite!

My first thought was the Pilgrim story - but I didn't know if it was right to mention the name of the horse.

I'm going to but on my tin hat now as I'm sure I'll get pelted, but from a purely financial point of view relating to using charity donations. Is this type of rescue and rehab the best use of funds? I get that the story will highlight the issues with live export but that where the usefulness of this particular horse ends. She's not easy to handle (documented that they are still working on handling her feet - a basic care need) and dealing with her treatment has been difficult throughout. Given she is unlikely to be re-homed would it have been a better financial decision to PTS. I think from a welfare I'd want to at least have that conversation early on. It may have happened and not documented, but I can't help but think they 'preserved life at all costs' rather than for the benefit of the horse. Just my opinion obviously.

I was thinking she should have been PTS when reading about how badly she coped with treatments. I really do think that some of the things we put animals through in order to "save" them or "fix" are just not fair. And for what reason were Redwings so determined to sort this mare out? To highlight transportation for meat? To get at the racing industry? Or to simply show off?

Either way, it is not only a questionable use of funds but also put this poor mare through an awful lot of unnecessary suffering IMO.

 

[Burnttoast]

I was thinking she should have been PTS when reading about how badly she coped with treatments. I really do think that some of the things we put animals through in order to "save" them or "fix" are just not fair. And for what reason were Redwings so determined to sort this mare out? To highlight transportation for meat? To get at the racing industry? Or to simply show off?

Either way, it is not only a questionable use of funds but also put this poor mare through an awful lot of unnecessary suffering IMO.

Again, it's their remit. Many other rescued horses require a lot of care and are suspicious/scared of humans. Most people don't like charities putting animals down - they give money so they can be saved, so Redwings are entitled to spend their money like this just as an ordinary owner is entitled to put their horse through possibly ill-advised surgeries, painful treatments that require sedation, box rest etc (often so that they can continue to make use of them), and often, on many modern livery yards, without the upside of a genuinely fulfilling life with plenty of turnout with other horses, etc etc, which this mare now has in her future, with any luck.

 

[dorsetladette]

Well quite. You can understand how many coloured hairies may have poor documentation but racehorses should have an excellent paper trail and it sounds like she doesn't (any more).

It's funny isn't it that Redwings have said she's a 'racehorse' yet they don't know her history and have no record of previous ownership. (Or do they?)

We can all agree that she is a thoroughbred 'type' and most likely has a large percentage of thoroughbred in her but without knowing her breeding and history how can they call her a race horse? She might have been a happy hacker or a RC horse? She might not have ever been in the racing industry. I'd have thought if she came out of a racing yard and was in work as suggested up thread by her being clipped that she would be in better condition than she is/was. For any yard your horses/horses in your care are your shop window.

 

[silv]

She seems to have scaring in the clipped area's but they could have been older injuries. Poor mite!

My first thought was the Pilgrim story - but I didn't know if it was right to mention the name of the horse.

I'm going to but on my tin hat now as I'm sure I'll get pelted, but from a purely financial point of view relating to using charity donations. Is this type of rescue and rehab the best use of funds? I get that the story will highlight the issues with live export but that where the usefulness of this particular horse ends. She's not easy to handle (documented that they are still working on handling her feet - a basic care need) and dealing with her treatment has been difficult throughout. Given she is unlikely to be re-homed would it have been a better financial decision to PTS. I think from a welfare I'd want to at least have that conversation early on. It may have happened and not documented, but I can't help but think they 'preserved life at all costs' rather than for the benefit of the horse. Just my opinion obviously.

I am sure the wee filly doesn't agree with this, nor most of the folks who donate to Redwings, they do not force anyone to donate. Plus she will still a decent life, not like she is left unsound or miserable. You don't know either that she won't be rehomed.

 

[Burnttoast]

It's funny isn't it that Redwings have said she's a 'racehorse' yet they don't know her history and have no record of previous ownership. (Or do they?)

We can all agree that she is a thoroughbred 'type' and most likely has a large percentage of thoroughbred in her but without knowing her breeding and history how can they call her a race horse? She might have been a happy hacker or a RC horse? She might not have ever been in the racing industry. I'd have thought if she came out of a racing yard and was in work as suggested up thread by her being clipped that she would be in better condition than she is/was. For any yard your horses/horses in your care are your shop window.

That's true of course. It is an assumption, might be wrong. But it's still quite possible, given how she is clearly used to being handled from the video and the clip at that age, and there are certainly people involved in racing that don't give the absolute best of care to a horse already considered not particularly worthwhile. Some of them even get prosecuted. Either way, though, it doesn't sound like we're going to find out.

 

[silv]

I was thinking she should have been PTS when reading about how badly she coped with treatments. I really do think that some of the things we put animals through in order to "save" them or "fix" are just not fair. And for what reason were Redwings so determined to sort this mare out? To highlight transportation for meat? To get at the racing industry? Or to simply show off?

Either way, it is not only a questionable use of funds but also put this poor mare through an awful lot of unnecessary suffering IMO.

Why on earth would Redwings, want to show off, what a ridiculous comment. Perhaps compassion has something to do with their actions.

 

[ycbm]

I'm actually quite angry reading that about what pain and stress they put that mare through and are still putting her through, just to keep her alive.

IMO she should have been PTS , not survived, still unhappy to be handled a whole year later, to be used as a magnet for Redwings donations.
.

 

[paisley]

I thought live export for slaughter was banned last year as of July 2024? Presumably this must have been before, if the filly has been recovering for a year?