Our Work Continued (Even More Stories)

Updated - 6th November 2007

SWEP has been busy since September this year; so we have a number of new stories for you.

STORY 1 - MERRIVALE PONY DRIFT 1st OCTOBER 2007

SWEP founder was present at the drift to monitor everything was well for the ponies.  Towards the end of the drift it was obvious that a number of the drovers had had a liquid lunch and were getting louder and loutish (shouting and messing around) by the minute.

A local farmer sorted out her herd of ponies and was drifting them back from Merrivale Pub to her farm.  One foal was very tired and confused and could not keep up with its mare and the herd.  It took six men (all displaying loutish behaviour) to catch this very young foal (it was only a few weeks old), which was running frantically anywhere it could. 

The drover in the photograph carrying the foal is about to put it into a four wheel drive car (4 x 4), which was already full of paintings, rugs etc.  There was no area in which to confine the foal or a grill in the car to separate it from the driver.  I was ready with my camera, when the woman driver of the 4 x 4 asked if there was a problem.  “Yes” I replied, “it is illegal to transport a foal in a car”.  Her response was “how else can we transport it?”  By using the trailer over there” was my reply; which was the method eventually used.

The photograph of the foal shows it in the trailer in a state of shock and unable to breathe correctly.  The foal was taken away to be reunited with its mare at the farm.

By this time I was being subjected to verbal abuse from so called farmers/helpers/drovers who were being so brave under the influence of drink; not only that the farmer in the photograph in the red and blue overalls carrying the foal dropped his trousers bearing all to me ‘not a pretty sight’.

It was at this point I phoned the police and asked them to attend; they arrived 20 minutes later, unfortunately, I was now on my own.  The twenty drovers, quad bikes, 4 x 4s, family and friends and the horses/ponies had all left.  I guess they were all guilty of affray.  I wonder what happens back at the farms if this is their behaviour in public.

What a sad case.  I feel so sorry for the ponies because they do not deserve to be treated in this way.

STORY 2 - THE STORY OF 'AUTUMN'

Autumn, a mare from Bodmin Moor came into SWEP care on 14 Oct 2007.  Farmer asked one of SWEP’s Bodmin group to purchase the mare.  A plain looking mare Autumn was showing her ribs and had no muscle on her hindquarters.  She has been wormed and in our care Is eating well and putting on weight.

STORY 3 - THE STORY OF 'LEXI'

Lexi is a filly foal off Dartmoor hit and injured in a Road Traffic Accident with a car.  Our team of volunteers brought Lexi in after lots of effort to catch her.  Her dam remained on the moor.  With daily treatment and Vet attendance, her wound was clean enough to stitch and staple so it would heal.  So far so good but there is still along way to go. 

Lexi is a star, dutifully standing and allowing us to attend to her wound with no fuss, kicking or rearing.  She is a lovely foal and we all love her dearly.

STORY 4 - HALLWORTHY MARKET - SEPTEMBER 2007

Two grey mares with foals were withdrawn from the sales by the DEFRA Vet and Trading Standards.  Both mares were thin and 'Mousey'  one of the mares was scouring very badly with her back legs in a mess.  SWEP purchased all four from the farmer, to save them from a potential bullet.  We have treated 'Mousey' and within days she had stopped scouring and was returning to normal. 

                                        Front -   Millie (Mare)                                    Mousey (Mare)                      Milton (Coloured Foal)

                                        Middle - Sooty (Foal)                                                                                Sooty (Foal)

                                        Rear - Mousey (Mare)

After worming, eating good food, vitamins and herbs ‘Mousey’ was sedated by a vet and had her teeth done by an equine dentist.  We set about shampooing dung etc off her tail, legs and udder; we groomed her and trimmed her tail.  Mousey now looks a lot better now and must also feel a lot better.