Terrified foal dumped by a railway line transforms in our care

A foal callously taken from his mother at just six weeks old and dumped in a stubble field next to a railway line has been transformed thanks to the compassionate, expert care of our Glenda Spooner Farm Rescue and Rehoming Centre, in Somerset. In a heartwarming twist in the tale, he’s even been adopted by a mare at the centre who was desperate for a foal of her own.

The foal, named Malcolm after one of his rescuers, was utterly terrified of humans after being found in a large open field, with a railway line on one side and a busy road on the other. Several members of our staff rushed to his aid, fearing the frightened foal could bolt into danger at any moment.

“We were very conscious that we needed to get him away to safety as soon as possible,” recalls Malcolm Morley, our Director of UK. “He was so terrified after what he’d gone through that he needed to be sedated before he could be caught and loaded safely. It was a huge relief when he was on his way to our centre and the compassionate care he so deserved.”

Once he arrived at Glenda Spooner Farm, the impact of little Malcolm’s traumatic experiences so far in his young life was clear. “He was absolutely petrified of humans,” explains Centre Manager Claire Dickie. “Even stepping into his crew yard – a space carefully designed for working with unhandled horses safely – would send him careering around in panic. At six weeks old, he should have been playful and curious about the world around him, so it was heartbreaking to see him so afraid.”

However, thanks to loving, expert care and patient, gentle handling, the once-terrified foal is learning to trust again. Having been taken away from his mother far too soon, little Malcolm is being hand-reared by the team, which has helped his groom Amy McCormack, Yard Supervisor at Glenda Spooner Farm, to build his confidence.

“Positive reinforcement is a vital training tool for us,” explains Amy, “which means we’ve used feeding time to help Malcolm link people with good things. Wither scratches – a favourite friendly gesture for horses – have also helped to teach him that humans can be associated with comfort and safety. He’s now happy for me to touch him all over, which is huge progress. We’re taking it steady so as not to overwhelm him at any point, but I’m so proud of him already.”

Learning how to interact with other horses and ponies is really important for orphan foals and the team found Malcolm a foster mother to help him with this. “We can’t tell you her story yet, as she’s part of a prosecution case,” says Claire, “but it’s amazing how she immediately took Malcolm under her wing. She’s had a foal of her own previously and got very broody when we had new foals born on the farm this summer, so we thought we’d try her with him. She adopted him straight away and is doing a wonderful job showing him how to be a normal horse.”

Though he still has a long way to go and lots more confidence to gain, little Malcolm’s recovery so far has been miraculous, after his dramatic rescue from such a dangerous situation. “Given how his story began, it’s amazing to see how far he’s come,” says Claire. “In time, we hope his tragic start will be just a distant memory and that he’ll go on to live a happy, healthy life in a loving home.”

Help save more foals like Malcolm this Giving Tuesday.