Elderly Champion Racehorse safe at the Sanctuary

We received a phone call recently regarding two large horses whose owner could simply no longer look after them. One of them was an elderly ex-champion racehorse and quite famous in his younger days. Looking after horses is a big commitment for an animal sanctuary but we simply couldn’t turn them away as the only option left for the old one was to be put to sleep if we didn’t take him in. It would have been a sad end for such a fantastic horse.

Operation horse rescue sprang into action and after some transport was arranged, the boys arrived a little sweaty but in good spirits after their long journey. They both behaved fantastic and seemed to enjoy all the fuss and attention. We turned them straight out into the fields and they had a good roll and started to eat grass. It was like they had just come home, safe at last.

Sorting feet out was first priority as they had become somewhat overgrown and cracked.

The blacksmith was booked and after a trim and check, they were starting to look much better.

The boys relaxed in the stable afterwards and met matilda our resident sanctuary mouser.

Laura, our sanctuary horse expert noticed their teeth looked very sharp, so a horse teeth dentist was booked. Regular teeth checkups (every 6 months) are essential for health in horses mouths just like in humans. Without regular treatment it can lead to all sorts of problems especially in older horses. It was a good call as their teeth were in really poor condition with mouth ulcers and a huge build up of plaque. No doubt it was uncomfortable for them but the good news is the dentist thought we had just caught it in time to prevent permanent damage.

Here you can see the plaque build up covering the entire teeth.

With the plaque removed you can see how sore the area underneath was. Poor fella. The teeth were also sharp and catching on gums.

They are going to need a few more treatments and regular checkups but with time they should heal well and they will feel much better.

Oscar with Laura after treatment. All smiles now.

Looking after horses is expensive and time consuming. Many of them have health problems or are too old to be re-homed and so they stay with us for the rest of their natural lives at the sanctuary. If we didn’t rescue them they would most likely be put to sleep or sent off to market. A sad end for a horse after years of service.

Blacksmiths, horse dentists, vets, horse food, fencing, field maintenance, hay and bedding. It all adds up and we struggle every month to raise enough funds to support them.

If you would like to sponsor one of the horses, please get in touch and ask for an sponsorship form or pop down to the sanctuary in Old Whittington to pick one up. You can also sponsor a horse online with paypal or setup a monthly contribution via your bank – download our standing order form here.

Thanks for your support.