A team of vets and carers tried to save the male foal throughout the week. But the foal, which its carers named Taki, died on Friday morning from a respiratory infection.

Yendon farmer Joe Patton found the foal dumped on his property last Saturday. He cared for it overnight before a team of professionals took over. 

Mr Patton and the team of vets and carers on Friday said they were saddened by the loss, all saying it was hard to believe anyone could dump such a vulnerable animal. 

Rosehill Farm equine veterinary owner Anne Jacobson said it was an avoidable death. 

“It’s such a terrible thing. It’s hard to understand how anyone involved with horses could just dump a newborn foal,” she said. “It’s just disgraceful.”

An emotional Carolyn Bischof, president of the Winged Horse Equine Welfare, on Friday said she and the others had done everything they could to save the foal. 

“Unfortunately, despite everything, he passed away,” she said. 

“We’d been up with him all night every night this week, keeping him warm with rugs and hot-water bottles ... we really thought we had saved him.

“The situation itself is all very odd and there are still a lot of questions that need answering.”

Both Ms Jacobson and Ms Bischof said it was hard to know how long the foal had been alive before it came to their attention, but said it was only a few days.

They said it appeared the foal hadn’t received adequate colostrum milk from its mother after being born, so it was susceptible to infection and disease. 

The farmer who found the foal said he was shattered to hear of its death. 

“That’s just so, so sad,” he said.  “The poor fella.”

Moorabool Shire Council has been notified of the dumping and police are also aware of the situation.

patrick.byrne@fairfaxmedia.com.au