It’s heartbreaking and unfathomable to imagine anyone abandoning an animal to starve to death. In this case it wasn’t just one animal but three — three horses left to starve to death in a field in Buckinghamshire, England.
The Royal Society of Prevention of Cruelty to Animals found them and determined they were in such a bad way, it was unlikely that any of them would survive.
But one plucky pony held on strong.
Three neglected mares
Around eleven years ago, a heartbreaking scene unfolded near the in Chalfont St Peter.
In February, three neglected mares were discovered abandoned in a vast cornfield, all of them severely underweight and suffering. One of the horses was so weak she couldn’t even stand and had to be humanely put to sleep right there in the field.
The other two, later named Pollyanna and Penelope, were transported to The Horse Trust, where they received round-the-clock care from the charity’s dedicated team.
Tragically, Penelope didn’t survive — but Polly, a 5-year-old bay mare at the time, refused to give up. She was on the brink of death, weighing just 696 pounds—barely half of what she should have weighed.
Her ribs jutted out, and she had no body fat at all. Rescuers said she was the thinnest living horse they had ever encountered, and there were fears that even starting treatment might end her life.
Jeanette Allen, chief executive of The Horse Trust, told The Daily Mail: “It’s a miracle Polly is still alive. It’s the worst case of horse neglect I’ve ever seen.”
The animal lovers nursed Polly back to life, but couldn’t feed her too much to start with as too many calories could shock her body and cause it to shut down.
“When we first started treatment it could have proved toxic for her. It was a horrible Catch 22 situation where we had to treat her worms to stop them killing her but the treatment itself could have caused fatal damage,” said Jeanette.
After just six months Polly went from 696 pounds to over 1,000 pounds and finally had the strength to gallop around.
“She’s a real mare now, the transformation is unbelievable,” Jeanette said.
Polly could soon run around the field with other rescue horses, something she was far too weak to do at the beginning of her rehabilitation. The frail, bony mare who came to The Horse Trust a cold February day grew into a strikingly beautiful horse with a bright personality. She gained confidence, became wonderfully affectionate, and loved nothing more than receiving fuss and attention from those around her.
“She’s got a group of male horses who follow her everywhere — it’s a right little fan club,” said Jeanette.
Even though Polly made a remarkable comeback, her story continued to touch hearts for many years. But something truly positive also came from her journey. Her transformation — from a severely neglected mare to a cherished member of our family — made her the perfect candidate for The Horse Trust’s sponsorship program.
Polly’s widely shared story, and the incredible support that followed, made it possible for her rescuers to continue saving and rehabilitating horses like her, giving them the second chance at life they deserve.
Sadly, heartbreaking news came from The Horse Trust in May 2024. That’s when they announced, “We are devastated to announce the passing of beautiful miracle girl, Pollyanna, who beat all the odds to survive the worst body condition we have ever seen.”
Still, after all the misery she endured, Polly went on to live a beautiful life—and that’s what we choose to hold on to.
