“SOME GOODBYES ARE HARDER THAN WORDS” — CANNON HALL FARM MOURNS THE HEARTBREAKING LOSS OF RUBY AND FOAL IRIS

The much-loved Shire mare and a young foal whose journey inspired hope have both been lost, leaving the Cannon Hall Farm team and their followers reflecting on the difficult realities of caring for animals.

Behind the familiar faces and heartwarming farm updates, there are moments of heartbreak that stay with the people who care for the animals every day.

For Cannon Hall Farm in Yorkshire, the past few months have brought a particularly difficult chapter in its Shire horse programme, with the loss of Ruby, a much-loved mare, and Iris, a young foal whose progress had been followed by supporters.

The farm acknowledged the losses in announcing a special online event with equine vet Marco in September 2026. The programme was intended to look back at the medical challenges the team had faced, the efforts made to save the horses and the difficult decisions involved in their care.

Iris’s journey brought hope

Iris was one of the Shire foals welcomed at Cannon Hall Farm in 2026.

Earlier in the year, the farm shared that Iris and another foal, Soldier, had experienced serious complications and needed specialist hospital treatment. Both eventually returned to the farm, bringing relief to the team and the people who had been following their progress.

That hopeful update made Iris’s later loss especially painful for those who had watched her journey.

For the people caring for her, she was not simply one of the farm’s young animals. She was a life they had worked hard to protect, with every improvement bringing fresh hope.

Remembering Ruby, a much-loved Shire mare

Ruby’s story had also captured the attention of the farm’s supporters.

In May 2026, she was rushed to Rainbow Equine Hospital after developing colic shortly after giving birth. She also developed mastitis, and her condition became so serious that the team feared they might lose her.

Emergency veterinary treatment gave Ruby a chance, and updates about her progress drew widespread concern and support from people following the farm online. However, her story ultimately ended in heartbreak.

The loss of an animal after intensive care can be devastating for the people who have spent days hoping for recovery. Even when every effort is made, veterinary treatment cannot guarantee the outcome everyone wants.

The difficult reality behind farm life

Caring for animals involves far more than the moments visitors see. Farm teams and veterinarians must respond to emergencies, weigh up treatment options and make decisions based on an animal’s welfare.

Cannon Hall Farm’s special event with Marco was designed to give followers a closer look at those challenges, including the difficult experiences surrounding Ruby and Iris. The farm also planned to share more hopeful news about its remaining Shire horses and the future of its breeding programme.

Shire horses are an increasingly rare breed, making the farm’s continuing breeding and care work particularly meaningful to those committed to their future.

Their memories remain

For the staff who cared for Ruby and Iris, their absence will be felt in the everyday rhythms of farm life. For followers who watched their stories unfold online, the losses are a reminder of the emotional connections people can form with animals they may never meet in person.

Ruby and Iris had very different journeys, but both became part of Cannon Hall Farm’s story.

Their loss cannot be undone. Yet the care they received, the efforts made to help them and the memories they leave behind remain part of the work carried on by the people who loved them.

Sometimes, saying goodbye is the hardest part of caring. Ruby and Iris will be remembered by the team who knew them and by the many people who followed their journeys.

🕊️ Rest peacefully, Ruby and Iris.

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