Several hundred equines were seized by the RSPCA in 2021 as part of a welfare case and Lottie, an unhandled five-yearold, was sent to Thornberry, which is located near Sheffield in South Yorkshire.
When she arrived she was “timid, but not too much of a problem”, said Alyson Bailey of Thornberry, and she was happy to be handled by the all-female staff. Problems started, however, when a male vet arrived to vaccinate Lottie.
“She was terrified and very defensive, rearing up, striking out, kicking and biting,” said Alyson. “We think that whatever behaviour had traumatised her had probably come from a man and she was really upset. Our vet is a very patient and calm man, but he felt that Lottie would never be more than a field ornament.”
However,…
