Linda and Beth

Beth and Linda

This is the story of a little standard bred mare named Beth who I had rescued several years ago. When I bought Beth she was in the worst condition that I have ever seen a horse, it was June and she still had not managed to loose her winter coat, I could see almost every bone in her body and she was literally just a frame with no fat and no muscle. When I got her home she was in such a state that I didnt know if she would survive until the next day as she was so weak that she could not even lift her head. This poor little 2 year old filly had been literally starving to death. Thank goodness she still wanted to eat but for fear of her overdosing and causing colic she could only have very small amounts, on her first night all that she had was a small amount of hay and bless her, when I went to check on her in the morning she was bright eyed and calling for more food which was fantastic.

Lots of 15 minute walks out to grass which gradually built up to her being out at grass all day long, small feeds often and a lot of TLC saw Bethy looking much better but after a short time of her being with us I became worried about the ever changing shape of her stomach and it quickly became obvious that this poor little girl had been put in foal and this had happened before her 2nd birthday! I spent months and months worrying how Beth would manage to give birth when she was such a small thing her self and of course I had no idea what she was in foal to, it could have been a clydesdale or a donkey for all I knew so didnt know what to expect but just hoped that Beth would manage to give birth. Well, Beth surprised us all and she managed to foal without complications and completely unaided as it should be and the foal was a healthy little filly who was the double of her mum.

When Beths foal had been weaned and Beth was looking great, she was maturing well and at rising 4 I lightly backed her which she accepted so well and although I had at this point advertised her I couldnt bring myself to sell her. At this point I was introduced to a friend of a friend who desperately wanted a horse but could not afford one, I was certain that she would look after Beth so put her out on loan along with an old TB mare (also a rescue) of my mothers who was going with Beth as a companion. I thought this was great as the two mares were close by and I thought they would be happy there. I had regular updates and visits from the woman who had the pair on loan, I went along to check on them a few times and they were fine but a few months went by where I had not seen them and the woman who had them always seemed to have a legitimate reason why I couldnt call by to see them. After a few months I had decided to check on them regardless, to my utter disgust both were standing at the gate hungry and waiting to be fed, both were showing ribs, had dull coats and again were so poor that they had not managed to shed their winter hair and we were now in the summer. The girls had been massively overdosed with wormers and both had rashes which I presume had been the result of the woman constantly applying lotions and potions for non existent mites, fleas and worms. Obviously I took the girls home and after only a few days of them having 3 small feeds per day and plenty of roughage, the old hair was coming out in clumps and they began to shine once more. The old TB has to this day still not returned to her old self fully as she does not want to be touched or groomed as she once did but little Beth made a full recovery (for a second time now).
Beth returned to work, we finished breaking her and she turned out to be a lovely riding horse. After a lot of thought and Beth now being 4 years old, I had to think about what to do with her. I knew she would make a great little horse for someone but was just a case of finding someone who I could trust to give her a good life, this poor horse had been mistreated, starved twice and had a foal in her short life so was essential that she found the perfect home.

I had just sold a Friesian mare to a lady named lesley whos friend (Linda) was looking for a horse and this horse would also be companion to the Friesian. It was certainly no easy decision to sell Beth as I had grown so attached to her over the years and her kind nature made her such a loveable horse. Linda seemed like the perfect person for Beth and promised she would give her a good home for life and keep in contact with me, I am pleased to say that she has been true to her word.

Beth had a horrendous start to her life, no animal should have to go through what she has at the hands of her human carers and it amazes me how she still loved people after several had been so cruel to her, she really is one in a million. I cant say how relieved I am that this story has a happy ending and that Beth (now at 5 years old) is very much a loved horse and in good hands with Linda.

“She is a delight to ride and, as you said, so good natured just absolutely lovely.” (Quote from one of Lindas emails)