From Tragedy to Triumph

How One Rescue Call Changed a Pony’s Life Forever

In the depths of winter 2023, a single phone call set in motion a rescue that would heartbreakingly expose the reality of equine neglect and ultimately showcase the life-changing effect of animal welfare charities working together to save lives.

A member of the public had discovered a dead, emaciated pony lying in a flooded field and immediately contacted the RSPCA. When officers arrived, they found another young pony still alive nearby, painfully thin, weak and fighting to survive. With time running out, the RSPCA called HorseWorld for urgent help.

When the HorseWorld rescue team arrived, the scene was devastating. The surviving colt stood silently in the corner of a field shelter, water steadily pooling around his feet. The only food available was a small amount of hay provided by the RSPCA.

The young pony was brought to safety at HorseWorld and given a name that reflected the quiet strength he had shown against the odds: Soul.

“On the day of the rescue, the weather reflected the mood; bleak, cold and rain-soaked, with flooding across the roads,” said Sarah Hollister, HorseWorld’s Head of Equine Welfare. “It was immediately clear that Soul hadn’t had a proper meal for a very long time. He ate hungrily, as if afraid the food might be taken away.

“As we approached him, we realised he was used to human handling. He walked calmly onto the trailer and straight up the ramp. But as we closed it, he whinnied back to his friend, wondering where he was. Of course, no whinny came back.”

A post-mortem later revealed the full extent of the suffering endured by Soul’s companion: no food in his system, no fat stores on his body, and a heavy worm burden. The ponies’ owner was traced and successfully prosecuted.

Soul, believed to be just seven months old at the time, began a long and careful rehabilitation under the expert care of HorseWorld’s team.

“Rather than dwelling on the trauma these ponies had suffered, our focus had to be on helping Soul heal both physically and emotionally,” Sarah continued. “He was still just a baby.”

Now, two years on, Soul’s story has the happy ending everyone hoped for. Fully rehabilitated and thriving, Soul has been rehomed alongside his best friend Trigger; another young rescue pony who grew up with him during their recovery at HorseWorld. Together, the inseparable pair have settled into their new home, where they spent Christmas safe, loved and finally at peace.

Soul’s journey is just one of many stories that highlight HorseWorld’s vital rescue, rehabilitation and rehoming work, giving horses, ponies and donkeys a second chance at life when they need it most.