Once talented enough to win races and around £6,000 in prize money, 12 year old Farley was in a disgraceful state when he was found abandoned in a field. Thankfully, he is now making steady progress after receiving plenty of tender loving care at the horse hospital at St Maughans. Jenny MacGregor, the Chairman of the Society for the Welfare of Horses and Ponies (SWHP), says: "He was in a disgraceful state of neglect - the worst problem was that he was completely infested with lice so that we've had to clip his entire body because the lice had gone into his skin. It was a shocking case and the owner should have been prosecuted." Farley is not the only new arrival at Coxstone Farm. Dolly has also been rescued after being found abandoned in a field. "Because she was so old she needed special attention," Jenny told the Beacon - "she was in a terrible state but she's much perkier now." Our third picture shows Alexander, an orphan foal who had been abandoned by his mother and was stuck in a ditch when he was found by a man out walking his dog. All three can be seen at the SWHP Open Day on July 6th (11am-4pm) together with lots of other rescue horses and ponies, including a beautiful filly foal. Then there's Tiffany, who was very close to death when she was rescued, but has since made an amazing recovery and is now in foal. In additional to the horses and ponies, there will be stalls and refreshments. SWHP has been run as a horse hospital for more that 30 years, taking in sick, injured or abused animals and nursing them back to health. There are usually between 30 and 40 horses and ponies in care at the Horse Hospital at any one time and no animal ever leaves the Charity's ownership. When fully recovered they are not sold but enter a loan scheme and are found homes matched to their age, fitness and abilities.
