Neglected Pony Found Barely Breathing Is Now Absolutely Gorgeous [Video]

• Heidi the pony was rescued from the brink of death by rescue workers at Here4Horses Equine Charity.
• The pony was so weak, starving, covered in open sores and could hardly stand, but she refused to give up.
• It was one of the worst cases of abuse and neglect the nonprofit has ever seen, but with their help, Heidi is now thriving and is absolutely stunning.

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Rescue workers at Here4Horses Equine Charity received a call last year about a neglected pony in East Durham, England. According to the young horse’s owner, the pony had died and they were requesting a burial.

When the rescuers arrived, they were horrified to realize that the pony is still alive. Though barely breathing and had a weak pulse, the animal was fighting for her life.

It was one of the worst cases of abuse and neglect the rescuers at the nonprofit had ever seen, according to its spokesperson. And they wanted to give the poor pony, they named Heidi, a chance.

Heidi was in dire condition — starving and covered in open sores. She was so weak that she could hardly stand, but she refused to lie down.

“They don’t want to lie down again for many, many days, sometimes weeks, because we’re pretty convinced that they know they are not going to be able to get back up again,” a Here4Horses spokesperson explained.

For 45 consecutive days, rescuers forced Heidi to lie down and rest, then hoisted her back onto her feet. Even with intense care, her condition was uncertain. She’s suffering from malnutrition for so long that she needed blood transfusions from two healthy horses to bring the protein level in her blood back up to normal.

But Heidi fighting spirit is strong! “Right from the beginning she was a real fighter,” the spokesperson said. “We just thought it was worth the effort.”

With much love, proper care, and lots of food and kindness, Heidi began to transform right before their eyes.

Heidi gained back her energy and she started to play again, enjoying the company of the other rescue horses. She also basked in the attention of her human handlers, regrew her hair and mane, and put on some much-needed weight.

These days, she looks very far from so badly when she was first found!

“She’s unrecognizable,” one of her rescuers said. “Looking back over those earlier pictures, even for me, it is amazing how far she has come. It is lovely to see though.”

“She is very willful, but I think that is what saved her,” they continued.

There’s no doubt about it. Heidi’s fighting spirit pushed through. The nonprofit had encountered so many horses in similar situations that would never have made it off the site. They would have been euthanized there and then because they’d given up.

Like a true “Cinderella” story, Heidi is now living her best life. Thanks to her fairy godmothers at Here4Horses.

Source: Inspire More