Seren Sees a Brighter Future
1 September 2026
It’s never quiet here at The Mare and Foal Sanctuary. As well as dealing with the ongoing impact of the heatwave, our Sanctuary Care team have been providing care for Seren, who recently had surgery for cataracts in both eyes.
Seren is a 12-year-old pony who arrived at the Sanctuary in 2014 as an orphaned foal. Years of careful monitoring and changes in her behaviour whilst she was living with her Sanctuary at Home carer, revealed a gradual decline in Seren’s vision.
Although she is a confident and inquisitive pony, she often appeared unsure about what she was seeing and relied heavily on her other senses to navigate the world around her, particularly her sense of smell when being led. She frequently walked with her nose close to the ground, seemingly using scent to gather information about her surroundings.
It was agreed that a specialist surgery would be the best option for Seren for her long-term wellbeing.
Earlier this month, Seren underwent surgery on both eyes to minimise her time under anaesthetic and the potential stress of a second operation in the future. This specialist surgery was conducted by Rob Lowe BVSc DVOphthal MRCVS RCVS Diplomate in Veterinary Ophthalmology, a visiting eye specialist from ‘Optivet’ and supported by Tor Equine.
Following the procedure her vision was confirmed in the left eye but unfortunately Seren has developed an infection in her right eye which is a rare complication that will delay her rehabilitation.
She is currently being cared for at our Beech Trees Veterinary and Welfare Centre where her handlers are administrating 12 eyes drops a day. We’re optimistic that her eye is improving and will heal with time.
The procedure, specialist expertise, veterinary care and ongoing treatment all add up, but we felt it was important to give Seren the best possible chance of restoring her sight and improving her quality of life. With your support, we can continue to provide life-changing veterinary care for ponies like Seren when they need it most.
We will keep you updated with Seren’s progress as she continues to heal.