Royal Welsh: Prize-winning horse found starving 'prancing again'

A vet said that 23-year-old Prince was in one of the worst states he had ever seen

A former prize-winning stallion that was found starving and with overgrown hooves is "prancing again", a charity has said.

In his youth, 23-year-old Prince won top prizes at the Royal Welsh Show and the Lampeter Stallion Show.

But he was found, having wandered into the grounds of a Caerphilly care home, emaciated and with badly damaged teeth.

Ann Keating, of the Welsh Pony Rescue & Rehoming Charitable Trust, said Prince's condition was "disgraceful".

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Prince was taken into the charity's care after he was found in the grounds of the care home, in Blackwood, on 5 July and is now on the road to recovery.

"His teeth, well there was no enamel on them, it was just gone, they were deteriorating," said Ms Keating.

'Pure starvation'

"The hoof growth, [the vet] said he'd never ever seen a horse like it, it was so bad. He was astonished at the state of it.

"There is nothing at all wrong with him health wise to say that he should be in the condition he's in. It's pure starvation."

Ann Keating said she feared Prince would have died had he not been taken in by the charity

Ms Keating added that Prince was in one of the worst conditions she had seen, but that it was unfortunately not an uncommon sight for the charity.

She said she believed that Prince had somehow managed to leave where he was being kept, and said she is glad he is now under the charity's care.

The vet that took care of Prince said he had never seen hoof growth as bad

Ms Keating added that it is especially sad to see Prince in the state he is in because of the accolades he had won in his past.

"He won the Royal Welsh, and Lampeter - and that's a bigger show than the Royal Welsh," she said.

"To win Lampeter, you've got to have a good animal, and he has been, he's been proper show quality."

Ms Keating said Prince is getting used to be being "the famous horse on the yard"

However, Prince has now been officially signed over to the charity, and is already showing signs of recovery.

"He's here now and he's got everything he needs, he's out in the yard with everybody," added Ms Keating.

"He's so much happier now, he's trotting around properly now, he's even prancing about showing off.

"Everybody here wants to go out and clean him or brush him, he's getting very used to being the famous horse in the yard.

"He's had a tough time but he'll get to relax now, he's earned it."