The future looks bright for Charley the foal

After a tough start to life, Charley’s luck changed when World Horse Welfare rescued her

In June 2021, World Horse Welfare (WHW) got a call about a very young foal on her own in a ditch – foals need to be with their mums until they are at least four months old, so the situation was urgent. When the team arrived, they found the foal stuck and enlisted the help of Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service to help get her out.

The foal, now named Charley, was rushed to hospital and once she was strong enough, she was brought to WHW’s Penny Farm where the dedicated staff began the round-the-clock task of hand raising her. They had to feed her every two hours – even during the night! But their hard work paid off and by March 2022 Charley was ready to go to her new home with rehomer, Sian.

Sian said: “It’s amazing, within 10 minutes of meeting my other horse it was like they’d always been together. Charley’s very playful and yesterday she tipped over the full wheelbarrow, then she waited until I’d refilled it and did it again! She makes us laugh so much and we absolutely love her!”

When asked what the future holds for Charley, Sian said: “We’re so looking forward it, especially after she had such a hard start in life. We’re going to take her out for walks to get her used to seeing different things and when she’s old enough, we’re hoping to back her, so that she can enjoy hacking around the countryside.”

Rehoming a pony is a very rewarding experience. Most rehomed ponies have had difficult lives before coming to the charity and rehoming offers them a second chance, as well as making space in the farms for more horses that really need help. To find out more, visit worldhorsewelfare.org