Charity on cloud nine after Wellingborough horses rescued

An international animal charity say they are extremely grateful for the support of those who pitched in to save 43 horses stranded in flooded Wellingborough fields this week.

A huge operation saw the animals rescued from the fields off Irthlingborough Road on Monday (February 24) with more than 30 volunteers involved in the effort in horrendous weather.

Those in the best health were transported to World Horse Welfare in Scotland with 25 now in their care.

"World Horse Welfare were keen to remove them - particularly as the conditions have recently deteriorated - and we worked with the RSPCA to organise the operation once the landowner used its powers under the Control of Horses Act which allowed us to take action.

"We had already arranged 25 bales of hay for the horses while on-site and brought 10 more for the operation itself. This was a hugely complex rescue involving 43 horses and use of a hovercraft, boats, trucks and even a drone, which we used along with good old-fashioned manpower to check we knew the location of each horse.

"We are extremely grateful to the other equine charities who pitched in with their valiant help at short notice.

"World Horse Welfare now has 25 of the ponies in our care and we just have to get them on the road to recovery and eventually find them new homes.

"If people want to help, please donate, or if you can, rehome a horse. Charity centres are full and with the number of horses out there needing help this winter, we need to free up space if we are to take in more.”

After specialists rounded up one herd they led them along the river bank and into a pen where they were fed hay and checked over.

Some the horses, which included adults and youngsters, were found to be "very thin" and were not used to being handled.

Three horses recently died at the site with another getting stuck in the river which runs alongside it.

The welfare of the horses has attracted attention from the public for many years with a recent petition to help them gaining more than 10,000 signatures. Wellingborough MP Peter Bone also added his voice to the campaign.

The RSPCA has faced criticism from some quarters and Mr Lucas said that whilst he was reassured by the concerns of the public, it was a 'fair comment' to say they could have stepped in sooner.

He said: "It's always easy to use the benefit of hindsight and say 'we could have done more, we could have done it sooner'.

"In terms of doing more we are doing what we can and what we would be expected to do.

"Could it have been done sooner? I think that is probably a fair comment."

Several of the horses were dumped at the site for unauthorised grazing and one horse owner has been identified. None of the horses were micro-chipped.