70 horses and foals rescued in 15-month operation in Devon

Seventy rare-breed Icelandic horses and foals have been rescued in a 15-month welfare operation by animal charities.

Public concerns were first raised in May 2024 about the herds of semi feral horses kept at several sites around Devon. The reports prompted a complex welfare operation by The Mare and Foal Sanctuary and RSPCA.

The sanctuary said there was unmanaged breeding among the herds and its staff found in-foal mares living alongside fighting colts and stallions, with some suffering life-threatening injuries.

The sanctuary, which also worked with Horse World Welfare to safeguard the animals, said 13 of the rescued animals remained in its care.

It said the horses’ owner had cooperated with the rescue and the animals were signed over to the three charities in stages across several months.

The process was vet-led, the charity said, and injured horses and those deemed most at risk were removed first. Healthy mares and foals were taken last.

The charity has now asked its supporters to name one of the rescued colts which is being cared for at the sanctuary.

Pippa Quelch, the sanctuary’s campaigns manager, said its care team had fallen in love with the four-year old colt’s “bright blue eyes and stunning markings”.

“He’s a very handsome young colt. He came to us a few weeks after his birth in the summer, with his dam Mavis and another Icelandic mare and colt foal,” she said.

“They were completely unhandled on arrival… this little foal was quite reserved around people at first. He’s now relaxed and confident and loves to be groomed and scratched.”

She said the name chosen for the foal would be announced on 30 October.

The Mare and Foal Sanctuary said there were only around 1000 Icelandic horses registered in the UK and they were quite rare.