A NEGLECTED pony is making good progress in his recovery after been rescued by a Burnley animal charity.

Rupert, a Welsh Section B, is recovering at the Horses and Ponies Protection Association after the charity rescued him from his owner.

He was rescued three weeks ago after the charity, based at Shores Hey Farm, were contacted by another animal charity.

HAPPAs Welfare Officer, Collette Rushforth, was sent to the site in West Yorkshire to inspect the 16-year-old.

She found Rupert's sore, overgrown feet were causing him a great deal of pain.

Charity Fundraiser for HAPPA, Annette Brown, said after negotiations with the owner, Rupert was signed over to their care and a rescue operation launched to bring him safely back to the North West Rescue Centre.

She said: "Unfortunately we do find a lot of cases of owners not realising the pain they are causing animals when their feet overgrow.

"The man did not realise what he was doing and how much pain Rupert was in.

"We persuaded to get him to sign Rupert over to us and sent the horse ambulance.

"We parked it as close as we could to where he was.

"Unfortunately, he was in real pain when he had to walk from his pen and into the horse ambulance."

The injuries were causing Rupert to rock back on his heels putting stress on his tendons.

This meant he had difficulty in walking.

Rupert, who is 13 hands tall, is now receiving fortnightly treatment from a farrier for his injuries.

This treatment will last 12 months and staff at HAPPA are confident he will make a full recovery.

Miss Brown added: "His feet were rock hard.

"The farrier has come to trim the hoof back so the pedal bone is in the right place which is flat.

"We are hopeful he will make a full recovery and hope he will join our loan scheme and find a new home as a companion.

"But he will never have to go through the pain he has suffered again."

By ANDREW HEWITT

RECOVERING: Rupert is getting back to normal again.

Rupert's sore, overgrown feet were causing him great pain

A NEGLECTED pony is making good progress in his recovery after been rescued by a Burnley animal charity.

Rupert, a Welsh Section B, is recovering at the Horses and Ponies Protection Association after the charity rescued him from his owner.

He was rescued three weeks ago after the charity, based at Shores Hey Farm, were contacted by another animal charity.

HAPPAs welfare officer, Collette Rushforth, was sent to the site in West Yorkshire to inspect the 16-year-old.

She found Rupert's sore, overgrown feet were causing him a great deal of pain.

Charity Fundraiser for HAPPA, Annette Brown, said after negotiations with the owner, Rupert was signed over to their care and a rescue operation launched to bring him safely back to the North West Rescue Centre.

She said: "Unfortunately we do find a lot of cases of owners not realising the pain they are causing animals when their feet overgrow.

"The man did not realise what he was doing and how much pain Rupert was in.

"We persuaded to get him to sign Rupert over to us and sent the horse ambulance.

"We parked it as close as we could to where he was.

"Unfortunately, he was in real pain when he had to walk from his pen and into the horse ambulance."

The injuries were causing Rupert to rock back on his heels putting stress on his tendons.

This meant he had difficulty in walking.

Rupert, who is 13 hands tall, is now receiving fortnightly treatment from a farrier for his injuries.

This treatment will last 12 months and staff at HAPPA are confident he will make a full recovery.

Miss Brown added: "His feet were rock hard.

"The farrier has come to trim the hoof back so the pedal bone is in the right place which is flat.

"We are hopeful he will make a full recovery and hope he will join our loan scheme and find a new home as a companion.

"But he will never have to go through the pain he has suffered again."