A young mare who underwent two major operations in her short life is ready for a new home after being in World Horse Welfare's care for three years.
Dolly, a 13.2hh piebald mare, arrived at the charity's Penny Farm near Blackpool as a yearling in September 2007, following a call from a concerned member of the public.
The World Horse Welfare field officer who went to investigate was horrified to find her with a terrible injury. As she had grown, the head collar which had been left on her tightened to such an extent that it became embedded in her face. She was taken straight to a veterinary centre, where the head-collar had to be surgically removed.
Once the wounds had healed, Dolly was turned out into a field to recuperate. No one ever came forward to claim her, so she was signed over to World Horse Welfare.
But more problems were still to come. As time went by Dolly began to display stallion-like behaviour, and tests revealed that she had abnormal ovaries. In May 2009 she had her ovaries removed, and luckily her behaviour returned to normal.
She was then passed fit and ready to be brought into work, and in August last year she was ridden for the first time. After intensive training through the autumn and winter, she is now ready to find a new home as a hack.
Sally Smith, Loan Scheme Officer for World Horse Welfare says: "Dolly is still green but this will improve with time and experience. She is only just five years old and she is not a novice ride. We are looking for an experienced borrower, preferably a small adult who is no heavier than nine and a half stone, who would like a pony to hack out. Dolly is far happier hacking out than doing school work - she has been introduced to traffic and enjoys being ridden out in company around the farm."