A group of British Horse Society volunteers were met with an unexpected sight when they arrived at a construction site in East Durham, England. Heidi the pony who when they found her they believed her to have already passed away in the midst of the squalor. Upon discovering that she was still breathing, the volunteers realized that they were dealing with one of the most severe cases of neglect they had ever encountered and immediately took action. The representative of Here4Horses Equine Charity stated that they made the decision to give Heidi a chance, and it took a team of five people to help her stand up.


Heidi`s incredible journey to recovery was later documented in a series of photos that showcase her remarkable resilience. Despite the fact that she had endured a great deal of pain, she was able to overcome her circumstances and make a full recovery. When the rescuers arrived, they were met by a knacker worker who had been called by the owner to remove Heidi`s body. However, the rescue team decided to take a chance on the young pony and give her the opportunity to heal.



Heidi was in need for a plasma transfusion, requiring several litres of blood donated by healthy horses. The Here4Horses team had to improvise by altering multiple pairs of leggings into shorts to prevent further damage to her pressure sores during the pony`s treatment having to wear padded bandages throughout the procedure.


The recovery process for Heidi was long taking several months, she had many wounds, worms, parasites, and illnesses to combat before she would be able to run free in a paddock again. Thankfully with her fight and personality and the the loving care from the volunteers would see Heidi`s injuries start to heal and would become happier in herself.