A HORSE which was dumped and left to suffer has given birth to the first foal in RSPCA care in the north this year.

The three-year-old horse named Flare, who was heavily in foal, stood abandoned in a field close to York in October.

She and another pony were tethered, meaning she was at high risk of danger to herself and her unborn foal had she gone into labour.

A passer-by alerted the RSPCA, who cared for the horse before she gave birth to a foal named Sienna.

As neither of the horses were microchipped, their owners were not successfully traced.

Jacqui Wilson, RSPCA equine rehoming officer for the north, said: “Flare has done a wonderful job so far of bringing up baby Sienna at a specialist private boarding yard in Hull, but things could have been so different.

“If she had not been rescued and was still tethered when giving birth last week in the extreme weather conditions, it would have been very dangerous, and because of this risk RSPCA inspectors were able to act in this instance.”

Being tethered while giving birth and then with a foal could have been stressful as she wouldn’t have been able to move freely to protect her or Sienna.

As this posed a risk to her welfare and no owner came forward, she was considered abandoned and could be taken into the charity’s care.

Ms Wilson added: “If Flare hadn’t been rescued when she was, both she and Sienna could have been in danger if there had been a complication.

“Being dumped out in the open with nobody caring for them is not a suitable environment for horses, and certainly no place for a newborn foal.”

The pair will remain in RSPCA care until Sienna is weaned in around six months. They will then be rehomed.