We’re thrilled to share that Rory, the 2.5-year-old miniature horse, is now safe at Heavenly Horses.

When we first saw him

We could tell right away that he wasn’t well. Just by his expression and appearance, we sensed his body condition under all that fluff wasn’t good. As soon as we got close enough to pet him and say hello, it became heartbreakingly clear that he was severely emaciated, to the point where it looked like he might not make it much longer. Basically as bad as it gets, all wrapped up in a cute, fluffy package.

Cars drove by him on the road every day, not realizing that under all that fluff he was skin and bones. His body condition was a heartbreaking 1 on the Henneke scale, the worst possible. The grooves of his hips weren’t visible because the hair covered them, but if you felt him you could feel every groove of his hip and spine, and every tendon and ligament in his neck.

Bringing him home

Rory came to us along with another miniature horse, Strawberry. Read her story here. We prioritized bringing in the two in the most dire need first, to get them stable and safe as quickly as possible. He was suffering from severe malnutrition, anemia, parasitic infection and neglect.

Already changing

In the short time he’s been here, Rory is already starting to change. When he arrived he was completely lethargic. Now, each day he’s getting more energy, and we are loving every minute of seeing his personality come out.

Rory will need long-term specialized care, dedicated nutrition support and ongoing attention to help him recover and stay healthy and strong for years to come. We are committed to giving him everything he needs. After all he’s been through in his short 2.5 years, we are determined to give him the happy, safe and loving life he deserves.

A bigger picture

This rescue is part of something bigger. Rory and Strawberry came from a small herd where several other minis are also in rough shape from neglect. The rest of the herd is currently receiving hay and water, but given the severe parasitic infections that Rory and Strawberry had, the others likely have similar issues. We want to pull them all soon and provide the full care, deworming and rehabilitation they need to thrive.

Our plan is to go back for the rest of the herd as soon as possible, but that will require significant resources for transport, care, quarantine and ongoing support for the entire group.

Watching Rory start to bloom reminds us why we keep going: to care for God’s creation, trust His perfect timing, and give these animals the second chance they deserve. We can’t wait to keep sharing his progress.

With gratitude,
The Heavenly Horses Team

Questions? Email theheavenlyhorses@gmail.com or call (352) 488-2789.