A piebald colt left to fend for himself on a landfill site in Gainsborough, Lincolnshire, has been taken in by an equine welfare charity.
The 100-acre landfill site had lorries and large machinery in operation, as well as waste gas outlets. When the rescue team arrived and eventually found the colt, named Stig, he was “friendly and pleased to see humans”.
“The staff on the site had become very fond of him as he entertained himself by following them around and giving them the odd nip,” said Welfare Manager, Rachel Jenkinson.
Walking from the site
“Despite the friendship, he was rubbing up against and damaging their site machinery and it was a dangerous environment for him which can quickly become a welfare concern.”
Stig was Bransby Horses’ first rescue of the year and it is hoped his brush with danger will act as a reminder to all owners to keep their horse’s identity details up to date.
“It’s not unusual for us to be called to ponies or horses who may have escaped from their field,” said Executive Director of Equine Welfare, Emma Carter.
“A quick check for a microchip and we are able to reunite them with their owners. Sadly, in this case we were unable to do that, as the pony was not microchipped.
“This meant an Abandonment Notice had to be served, and the police informed to try and trace the owners.”
The notice forms part of the legal process under the Control of Horses Act 2015 (England) which should be followed when a horse is believed to be abandoned.
The team also helped with attempts to trace the pony’s owner, but they could not be traced.
Stig was removed for safety reasons and temporarily boarded with Bransby until the Abandonment Notice ran its course – which is four working days.
“We named named ‘Stig’ after the children’s book ‘Stig of the Dump’,” said Rachel. “He was a bit dishevelled but otherwise there were no immediate health concerns and he was very friendly.
After a tidy
“The team managed to put a headcollar on and walk him back to the trailer but, being a young colt, Stig was very playful and was displaying typical youngster behaviour by nipping the team and wanting to play.
“With multiple bruises on their arms and a long walk ahead, the team decided to give him a lead rope to carry which kept him entertained until he reached the trailer. Stig seemed to be very proud of his new toy and enjoyed the attention from his new-found friends.”
Stig loaded straight onto the trailer without issue and travelled calmly back to Bransby Horses.
His journey at Bransby began with a health check, a bath and tidy up, and he will continue with a tailored programme developed by the expert teams to meet his individual needs, including diet, enrichment and training.
The 12hh youngster, who is about two years old, will be cared for by the charity for the rest of his life.
