Every year, tens of thousands of people visit the small town of Appleby-in-Westmorland as part of an annual gathering of the Gypsy, Romany and Traveler community, known as Appleby Horse Fair. For the past decade, members of the Bransby Horses Welfare Team have attended this event to promote good equine care and provide support to the veterinary team.
In 2025, a two-year-old Trotter was found by an RSPCA Inspector running loose in a field with a severe injury to her right eye. After being assessed by a vet, the young mare, now named Iris, was taken straight to Liverpool Equine Hospital from Appleby Horse Fair to receive further treatment.
While in hospital, an investigation was launched by the RSPCA, who issued a 14-day abandonment notice in the hope that an owner would come forward. Unfortunately, no one did and after the notice expired, Iris was signed over into the care of Bransby Horses.
Examinations revealed the eye was causing her significant pain and she could no longer see through it. The team decided removing the eye was the best course of treatment and necessary for her to recover. Once the operation had successfully taken place and Iris was fit to travel, she made the journey from Liverpool to Lincoln and arrived at the Animal Reception Centre at Bransby Horses.
As the start of summer was kicking in, Iris wore a mask to protect her eye and keep the pesky flies away. When asked how Iris adjusted to her new environment and to life, now she was partially sighted, Equine Welfare Deputy Team Leader Mia Miller said “She coped really well with it.
“She stayed in the same field, so she knew her surroundings and had [another equine] next door almost as emotional support. Sometimes she’d bump into the wheelbarrow or jump a bit at us, but other than that she coped fine.”
Iris also arrived slightly underweight, so she was placed on a feeding plan and was soon at an ideal body condition score. The team remembered her time at the ARC fondly, expressing how lovely and well behaved she was. “She was a really good patient to bandage, she was good for the farrier, we all said she’ll be perfect for rehoming.”
Iris graduated from the ARC at the end of August to our Main Yard, where she is now spending time with familiar equines like Beverley and Eider, two mares who were born at the charity in 2024. The Main Yard team are introducing her to all aspects of equine life, helping her prepare for a potential life away from Bransby Horses.
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