Warning not to feed New Forest livestock after pony found choking

The pony was found choking on carrots which had been cut into chunks and left by the road at Hilltop near Beaulieu.

Erika Dovey from the New Forest Commoners Defence Association (CDA) was called to the scene;

"The pony had lots of white froth from her mouth and snot. She had her head down and ears back and was looking severely distressed. She was making lots of strange noises from her windpipe. On the ground next to her was some carrots chopped into large chunks and she had bits of carrot coming out in the foam from her mouth. It was clear that she was choking and it was really distressing to see that."

It's likely someone thought they were doing a kind deed when in fact they were putting the animal's life at risk.

The pony is still very poorly and Erica say's "it's touch and go whether she's going to survive."

WHY FEEDING LIVESTOCK IS SO DANGEROUS

In this case it caused a condition called 'Choke', where the pony's oesophagus, which is the tube that takes food from the back of the mouth to the stomach, got blocked.

Ponies can also get colic, a form of tummy ache, which can be fatal.

Throwing or dropping carrots or apples on the verge also encourages ponies and donkeys to the roadside which puts them more at risk of being involved in accidents.

It can also encourage aggression which in turn can lead to the owner having to remove the pony from the New Forest.

The New Forest Commoners Defence Association says there's no need to offer livestock treats.

"The ponies have plenty of natural food they browse and graze all day. They are specially adapted for life out in the New Forest."

GETTING THE MESSAGE ACROSS

Eight year old Annabelle has been helping ensure the message not to feed livestock gets across to the public.

• new forest
• carrot
• pony
• livestock