A stolen pony found abandoned and in an “appalling state” has been reunited with her owner.

Agonising condition

Shirley Phillips read about the rescued pony in a local paper and soon realised it was her own mare who had been stolen from her field in Hadlow, Kent in July.

The piebald was found in Chaldon, Surrey last month and her hind legs were so badly infected that she could barely walk. They were swollen with cuts and grazes, crawling with maggots and covered in flystrike, which is a very painful and potentially fatal condition caused by fly infestations.

The pony, nicknamed Star, was brought into a rescue centre by RSPCA inspector Lucy Chillery, where she received intensive care treatment.

“She has done so well given the agonising condition she was found in,” Lucy said . “She was suffering from untreated wounds on her legs which were full of maggots, and a bad case of the highly contagious horse disease, strangles, which meant she had to be kept in isolation for a month.”

Clean bill of health

When Shirley realised that Star was actually Daisy, she contacted the RSPCA. As soon as Daisy was given a clean bill of health she was then returned home.

“We couldn't be happier with her recovery given that when she was found she was in such an appalling state we didn't think she would survive,” said Lucy.

According to Shirley, Daisy is in “good spirits” but still a little underweight. “Anyone who could ill-treat an animal like this must be really sick. It's disgusting," she told the Surrey Mirror.

Daisy’s foal, May, was also stolen along with another mare called Lady. They are both still missing and the RSPCA is asking for people to call 0300 1234 999 with any information on their whereabouts.