"Dangerously ill" pony found in a field near Pontefract

The horse, called Quartz, by rescuers was loose in a field next to the busy A1 motorway when a report about the weak and underweight animal was put to World Horse Welfare.

Welfare officer Sarah Tucker had to call on help from Bransby Horses, based in Lincoln, to get near Quartz as he was nervous and in danger of escaping on to the A1.

Eventually he was safely contained in a pen and taken to temporary stables where the full extent of his ill-health was revealed.

Ms Tucker said: "Quartz was clearly very unwell, scouring badly and appeared to be suffering from worms but he was also unhandled and very nervous so I couldn’t get close enough to properly assess his condition.

"Once he was in the safety of temporary boarding stables, he was assessed by a vet who found him suffering a dangerously high temperature and a severe worm infestation."

She added that once he was strong enough he was taken to World Horse Welfare’s Penny Farm Rescue and Rehoming Centre in Blackpool where he is doing really well and growing healthier every day.

He is in the company of another pony who was rescued by the organisation just days before in Middlesbrough.

The young colt was found tied too tightly to railings at an industrial estate after wandering the streets. He was also lethargic and weak with his bones sticking out.

Ms Tucker said: “Diamond was clearly only a matter of months old, far too young to be without his mother and suffering badly from poor nutrition. His bones were sticking out through his thick, fluffy coat and his demeanour was dull and lethargic.

"He was clearly in urgent need of veterinary attention and as we couldn’t locate an owner, we worked with the RSPCA to post an abandonment notice before transporting him to a safe location nearby."

The officer added that they rely on calls from the public to help save horses and thanks to these callers both ponies are safe and ready to be re-homed.