One horse died and another was left fighting for its life after being found stuck in a muddy field with hypothermia.

Emergency services were called to the scene in Honey Lane, Waltham Abbey, at around 10.50am on Friday following reports of two neglected horses stuck in mud.

The two female Cobs, which were found to be suffering from hypothermia as well as Equine Polysaccharide Storage Myopathy, a muscle wasting disease, were freed from the field after a three-hour rescue mission by two specialist Essex Fire teams, Essex Police, staff from Galley Hill Equine Surgery and the RSPCA.

One of the horses, who was believed to be around four years old, was put down after being described as “extremely unwell.”

Surviving mare, Mavis, who has received more than 100 litres of fluids over the weekend and is receiving treatment for parasites and sores, is still unable to stand unaided.

However, she is said to be “recovering slowly”.

Galley Hill Equine Surgery vet Susanne Troster, who is caring for Mavis, said: “We had to put the younger of the two to sleep as she was too far gone and extremely unwell.

“When we got her back to the surgery the hyperthermia was so bad that her temperature wouldn’t even show on the thermometer.

“Mavis is currently recovering slowly with us here and I am so impressed with her progress. She is really trying.

“When she arrived her heart rate was over 100 when it is supposed to be 40.

"We now have it down to 63 so she is getting there.

“We cannot thank the community enough for coming together for this rescue mission.

“We would not have been able to save Mavis if it wasn’t for the help that we have been inundated with.”

Following the discovery, community businesses contacted the surgery to donate their services to the neglected mare.

Local farrier Lee Collins will trim Mavis’s overgrown hooves for free, a local store has donated food and the Royal Veterinary College supplied fluids and medicine.

Mavis, who is now looking for a new home, was signed over to the RSPCA on Friday after an investigation was launched.

A spokesman for the RSPCA said: We attended along with the police, a vet and a fire crew and the horses were signed over to RSPCA care.

“This is an ongoing investigation.”