The pony wouldn’t let the rescue team near her at first, and no wonder: They could smell her festering wound before approaching her. After some gentle words of encouragement, fresh water, bananas, and grass, this sweet girl allowed them to examine her.

Sparing you the gruesome images, she was suffering immensely from a deep, bright-yellow saddle wound running the length of her spine that was teeming with maggots.

Animal Rahat veterinarians assessed that the pony—now named Koyal—would fully heal if given rest, so they transported her to the Sangli sanctuary to begin her recovery.

Today, she’s healing up nicely and the team is overjoyed to think of the many peaceful days ahead of her—especially when she graduates from quarantine and starts to form friendships with the other residents. She’ll never be neglected or bear the crushing weight of a saddle and rider again!