A tiny pony dumped emaciated, alone and “utterly exhausted” has “light back in her eyes” as she continues to make progress towards health, her rescuers said.
H&H reported last month on Annie, a young 11.2hh mare who had been rescued from a field in Basingstoke by World Horse Welfare and taken to The Horse Trust.
The coloured mare was “fighting for survival” in the days after her rescue, the charity said at the time. She was very underweight, with a significant lice infestation and skin issues, and needed round-the-clock veterinary care.
“In my many years at The Horse Trust I have never seen such an utterly exhausted pony arrive into our care,” charity chief executive Jeanette Allen told H&H.
“Annie has taken full hold of our hearts and every day she is with us feels like a win. She’s still very frail but the light is back in her eyes and we will continue to do all we can to give her the best possible chance at a happy, healthy life.”
A spokesperson for the charity told H&H Annie has tested negative for strangles and has managed to get up unassisted a couple of times. She is still very underweight and suffering from the lice infestation and skin issues, which are being treated.
“Recent care has included clipping and medicated bathing to treat sores and improve her comfort,” the spokesperson said. “While she appeared to enjoy this, it also highlighted just how fragile she still is.”
The spokesperson said the team is hugely grateful for the response of the public to Annie’s plight; over £20,000 has so far been raised towards her care.
“Although she still has a long way to go, her recovery is moving in a positive direction and the team are encouraged by her progress,” she added.
Anyone who would like to donate to help Annie can visit The Horse Trust website, and the charity is sharing updates on her progress on its Facebook page.
“We are so grateful for the thousands of people who have taken Annie into their hearts as well and are supporting her extremely tough journey,” Ms Allen said.
- To stay up to date with all the breaking news from major shows throughout 2026, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website
You may also be interested in:
‘She is still fighting – and so are we’: next hours critical for neglected pony ‘left to die’ in field
‘She’d give you heaven and earth’: brave police horse who famously wore sunglasses clocks off after her final shift
‘Miracle’ pregnant mare temporarily blinded by life-threatening sepsis survives – and keeps her unborn foal
‘She was lucky, the next horse may not be’: trampled young mare fractured skull ‘en route to slaughter’
Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round
