CHINCOTEAGUE, VA - The Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Company has rescued a wild pony foal with a serious birth defect and given her a new chance at a healthy life.
Hikers first notified the Fire Company, also known as the Saltwater Cowboys, of a days-old foal that wasn’t putting weight on its rear left leg over the weekend. Photos taken by DSC Photography revealed Foal #84 had either been injured or born with a defect. Volunteers then jumped into action and rescued the young pony, discovering the filly had been born without a back-left hoof.
“We’ve had thousands of foals and nothing like that ever before,” Hunter Leonard of the Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Company said. Leonard added that the filly would not have lasted long in the wild with the defect.
For most horses, the defect would have meant euthanasia, according to the Fire Company. Luckily, volunteers say the filly may adapt very quickly to a prosthetic.
“This is a once in a lifetime situation and while the foal will never be ridden we decided to pull her from the island,” the Fire Company said.
After bringing the foal back to Chincoteague and bandaging the leg, the Saltwater Cowboys introduced her to mare Neveah. Neveah reportedly lost her own foal weeks ago and did not take long to accept the new filly. Volunteers say the two are now inseparable.
“This filly is so sweet and deserves the best, we wish her the best of luck in all the medical hurdles ahead, she is in good hands,” the Fire Company said in a social media post.
The foal is currently under the care of a trusted veterinarian in Pennsylvania awaiting the new prosthetic, according to the Saltwater Cowboys. Foal #84 does not yet have a name but volunteers say they are confident the public will come up with a fitting one for her.