In fact, we have to agree that nobody could have ever anticipated what the British Horse Society volunteers would see when they arrived to a construction site in East Durham, England. They discovered Heidi there, a pony believed to have passed away in the middle of squalor.
But when her body was discovered breathing, the volunteers recognised they were dealing with one of the worst cases of neglect they had ever come across and took urgent action. The representative of Here4Horses Equine Charity said, “The choice was made to give her a chance, and it took five people to bring her to her feet.”
The remarkable journey Heidi took to recovery was later captured in a number of photos that show what a warrior this young child has been. Let’s have a look at Heidi’s remarkable change below, which will make you cry (or cry a river) without fail.
The BHS volunteer was horrified to find what he initially believed to be a dead horse when he got at the scene. Heidi was discovered in the most awful condition, according to Wendy, the charity’s founder and an expert in equine welfare and education.
She told us, “Whether he thought she was already dead is irrelevant—she had been subjected to a lot of pain. When rescuers turned up, they met with a knacker worker who had been contacted by the owner to come and remove her body.” However, the rescue team decided to give the young pony a chance.
Heidi was unable to stand or move and was thought to be in critical condition. She had such low blood protein levels that a plasma transfusion was necessary, and the early stages were “touch and go,” Wendy recalled. The pony was unable to stand on her own for more than five weeks.
Due to Heidi’s emaciation, a blood test revealed that she needed a plasma transfusion, therefore she was put on a drip. Healthy horses contributed many liters of blood. The Here4Horses staff “had to be creative, modifying multiple pairs of leggings into shorts to help keep her pressure sores from additional damage” while the pony was receiving therapy. She had to wear cushioned bandages during the procedure.
But the recovery was anything but gradual and simple. It took Heidi months and months to recover sufficiently for her to run freely in our pastures, according to Wendy. “Too many wounds, worms, parasites, and illnesses had been given time to take hold,” she added.
In essence, the team believes that Heidi’s combative personality was crucial to her recuperation. The pony’s lengthy road to recovery began after receiving emergency care. The Here4Horses team sees incidents like this once or twice a year, according to Wendy, who claimed that Heidi was on the severe end of neglect and cruelty.
“While we do witness this kind of injury and illness all too frequently, it is simply cruel or a lack of understanding on how to properly care for horses.” Thankfully, the injuries started to heal. And after a while, Heidi started to appear happier.
She eventually put on some weight again. Additionally, Heidi’s vivacious personality and gleaming hair were everywhere! Such an inspiring amazing work. Please let us know your thoughts on the story, and do not forget to spread out the story on social media with your friends and family.