Imagine finding a tiny foal all alone and hungry, still trying to feed from her thin dead mother on the ground. This is the heart-wrenching scene that greeted rescuers from the Lluest Horse and Pony Trust who had received a call from a worried hill walker earlier this year.

In one of the saddest and most upsetting rescues they had experienced, Lluest’s welfare team, along with vets from Cotts Equine, had to scramble to catch the terrified foal and gently guide her away from her mother’s corpse to the waiting ambulance. Because of her remote location, this involved carefully negotiating the poor little thing over wooden footbridges and wire fences

Back safely at the Trust, the vet who checked her over and administered an emergency milk feed estimated she was only two or three weeks old. The rescue had come just in time for this poorly little mite they decided to call Connie. Thanks to dedicated staff at Lluest who fed Connie every two hours around the clock, she quickly built up trust in her carers.

However rescue is just the beginning for a little foal like Connie. She will have a tough battle ahead to grow stronger and learn to be independent. As an orphan separated from her mother so young and found in such harsh conditions, she may well face health problems as she grows. And that’s where organisations like Lluest Trust need help. It’s why we felt we had to step in and do something to secure a future for Connie. So, once again, we are partnering with Lluest Horse and Pony Trust to contribute towards the care and support of Connie.

For us, the best thing is knowing that Connie won’t grow up experiencing a life of neglect and misery, and that she now safe and loved. In fact, her chances of a well-balanced and happy upbringing have been helped by another victim of awful neglect called Abbie. This heavily pregnant mare was found wandering the streets before she came to Lluest. Poor Abbie’s foal died hours after birth and the heart-broken mother, who was already in poor health, became depressed and inconsolable. Introducing orphan Connie and bereaved mother Abbie gave them both what they so desperately needed. Connie thrived under the guidance of a mother-figure and Abbie could now be a mum to a baby she thought she’d lost. The sad & sorry pair bonded immediately and haven’t looked back. We will keep you updated on their progress.

How you can help

Caring for Connie, and the 27 other horses and ponies at the Lluest Trust, is expensive. At this time, donations are vital to keep their work going.
If you feel you can help, support Connie here: http://www.lluesthorseandponytrust.co.uk/connies-story/

Watch her story here: Warning – Upsetting Content.