Lioness the Wild Orphan Foal

A "severely dehydrated" wild, orphaned foal has been rescued from a beach in the Far North by wild horse tamer and author Kelly Wilson.

Wilson was tasked with finding wild horses south of Shipwreck Bay when she came across an injured mare and her foal on a beach near Ahipara on Sunday. The mare led her off the beach to a bog, where Lioness was found in the hills behind it.

The foal was weak, had a weepy and cloudy eye, was unable to stand, covered in ticks and lice, and covered in pressure sores from laying down for so long. Reports from locals have led us to believe the filly could have been without a mother for up to two weeks.

Kelly has been working with SPCA, DOC and local vets to care for the filly, who is estimated to be about 10-12 weeks old. So far she has had three vet visits in her first three days (including IV drips, electrolytes, painkillers and eye treatment). She is responding very well to treatment and has a healthy appetite and is being given foal formal every 2-3 hours, including throughout the night, as well as unlimited access to hay, grass and feed which she enjoys.

The foal was named Lioness, partly because of her fighting spirit and the fact she had been given water from the bog using an empty Lion Red beer bottle which they found in the grass beside her, before they were able to get locals to help lift her onto a tarpaulin and drag and carry her to their ute, which was parked 500m down the beach. From there Lioness has a 40 minute off-roading trip along the coast, before they reached a road (or reception) and were able to get her help.