Merlin’s Story

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In January 2019 The Horse Trust was involved in one of the largest and most heart wrenching animal rescue cases ever seen in the UK. Only now are we legally able to tell you about some of the sickest ponies we took in that day. We took in 15 of the most critical equines rescued and wanted to share the story of one of these ponies in particular, that of young Merlin. You can watch our video and donate to the campaign here.

Merlin was found in such a sad state, starving, in cramped filthy conditions, riddled with parasites, and yearning for the love from his owner that never came. Instead, he and our other ponies were left so emaciated and weak they were simply fighting to survive.

Our veterinary specialists worked round the clock to give two-year-old Merlin and his friends the fighting chance at life they deserved.

When Merlin came in, he was such a scared young chap, and so fearful of human contact that we wondered how he would ever trust again. His coat was matted, his bones protruded, and his hooves were so overgrown he could barely walk. He was in dire need of food and veterinary treatment, yet terrified to let anyone help him. Due to the severe trauma he endured, nobody thought he would be able trust enough to allow us to provide him with the soft touch of a hand or to accept the love we so earnestly wanted him to feel, but we were determined to give him a chance.

Our specialist team had to be creative with Merlin and our other ponies on their journey to recovery. As you can imagine, undoing such ingrained trauma takes time. Merlin and his friends continue to be allowed to move at their own pace and have been given lots of positive reinforcement along the way. As a result, Merlin continues to grow stronger day by day and is now a sweet, happy, and gentle soul thanks to the dedication of our team of experts. His bond with his trainers is magical and a testament to our team’s love, skill, and commitment. We hope with continued treatment and training he will be able to be rehomed in the coming years.

Even now, Merlin and our other ponies from the rescue struggle to cope with change. Many still suffer from underlying medical conditions that require expensive medications, special behavioural training, and regular veterinary care.

Please help us to continue care for Merlin and ponies like him by making a donation today. You can ensure we are able to be there for horses, ponies and donkeys when they need us most. You can make a donation online by clicking on the link below. Thank you, as ever for your support.

Donate to Merlin