Just a few short months ago, a beautiful Shire horse named Pippa arrived at our sanctuary. Gentle, affectionate, and full of potential, she quickly became a favourite among our team and visitors at the Northcote Heavy Horse Centre.

But Pippa’s time with us has taken an unexpected and heartbreaking turn. She recently developed a leg infection and was placed on box rest with antibiotics and pain relief. At first, things looked manageable. But then her condition took a sudden and serious turn.

After a worrying decline last week, our vets were called out urgently. She was given stronger pain medication, blood tests were taken, and she was treated via nasal tube. Sadly, by the next morning, she needed to be transferred to Oakham Equine Hospital — a two-hour journey for emergency care.

Pippa has a history of stomach ulcers, and the combination of medications and complications has caused her gut to become severely upset. She was placed on IV fluids and intensive care.

Since being admitted, Pippa has shown small but promising signs of improvement. Over the weekend, she pulled her own catheter out (classic Pippa!), and the amazing team at Oakham felt confident enough not to replace it. She’s now drinking more on her own and showing little steps forward each day.

She still has a way to go — her diarrhoea is ongoing, though slowly improving — and she’s far from fully recovered. But we are clinging to the positives.

As you can imagine, the cost of her hospital care is substantial. We’ve been told to expect a final bill of up to £7,000.

As a sanctuary that relies entirely on donations, this is a huge financial burden. Emergencies like this are sadly part of what we face, and we will always do everything we can for the animals in our care — but we simply can’t do it alone.

If you’re able to support Pippa’s recovery, we would be incredibly grateful. Every donation — no matter the size — brings us closer to covering her treatment and giving her the chance to come home.

Donate via GoFundMe: https://gofund.me/778bb9b6 or donate directly: www.northcotehorses.com/donate

Even if you can’t donate, sharing her story means the world.

Thank you for reading, for caring, and for continuing to stand with us — and with Pippa.

With heartfelt thanks,

The Northcote Heavy Horse Centre Team www.northcotehorses.com