New Forest visitors urged to look out for missing Welsh cob pony Dewi
A HOLBURY family are asking for help to find a pony which went missing just days after being bought for their autistic daughter.
The 13.2h black Welsh cob called Dewi was last seen on 20th May in a field in Holbury which backs on to Fawley Inclosure.
The family had purchased the pony just days before in the hope it could eventually be ridden by their 13-year-old daughter Dulcie who is autistic and does not attend school.
Mum Lydia Murphy said: “He is two years old so only a baby and not broken in to ride. He is a black gypsy cob with a lighter mane and tail and a white blaze on his nose and light coloured feathered legs.
“My daughter doesn’t go to school because of her anxiety, so we bought him as a project we could work on together. She absolutely adores horses so she is very upset that he’s gone.”
She added: “From a monetary point of view he probably isn’t worth very much but he means such a lot to us.”
Dewi was kept in a 60-acre field with other horses at the time of his disappearance, and the family are unsure whether he escaped or was taken.
Lydia said: “We had only moved him to the field that day, so it is possible that he got out by jumping a fence or it could be that someone took him.
"We have reported his disappearance to the police and the agisters are also looking out for him on the Forest.
“If he has managed to escape he is likely to be in the area of Hill Top, Fawley Inclosure or Dibden Inclosure.
“He is very distinctive with his blonde mane so anyone who did see who would be likely to realise he’s not a New Forest Pony.”
The family hope that by sharing pictures of Dewi, someone might come forward who has seen him.
Lydia said: “We have searched and searched but found nothing so we are hoping that if other people are also looking for him our luck might change.
"We have had a couple of potential sightings but by the time we got there we couldn’t see any sign of him.”
Potential sightings can be reported by contacting 07874 263860.
