Abandoned at only four months old, this foal was barely hanging on when rescuers from Catley Cross Veterinary Clinic found him earlier this year. They brought him to their facility and discovered the little guy was suffering from dehydration, hypothermia, pneumonia, and lice.
There was a strong chance he wouldn’t make it, but that didn’t stop them from trying.
This was how he was found in February this year, collapsed and clearly starving.
Now going by Gizmo, they warmed him up with heating blankets and began treating his many ailments.
It was a lot for such a young cutie to fight, but they knew he wouldn’t give up on them.
Gizmo’s treatments included blood transfusions, bandaging, special diets, and antibiotics — all of which don’t come cheap.
However, the facility was happy to find themselves flooded with donations from those who hoped to help Gizmo get back on his hooves.
Of course, it wasn’t too surprising for the staff to discover how many other hearts this brave boy had touched, since they were all totally smitten with him, too!
Over the months, his strength continued to grow while his wounds healed.
Pretty soon, Gizmo was able to stand on his own and they gradually trained him.
He began to enjoy nice long walks along the grounds, greeting other horses and building his strength.
And today, you’d barely recognize this beautiful boy as the same one they found six months ago!
In fact, a few days ago, he won both the Youngstock RSPCA Class and Championship at Equifest, crowning him the Rescue Horse of the Year.
Take a look at one of his award-winning performances here:
Of course, he was already the champion in their hearts, but those shiny ribbons and medals do look good on him. The judges were so swept away by Gizmo’s incredible transformation, and according to Carolyn Wyse, a surgeon at the facility, some were even in tears as they awarded him the prize.
Gizmo was permanently adopted by Halstead Veterinary Clinic where he’ll continue to live his happiest, healthiest life.
