A distressed member of the public recently phoned the Society for the Welfare of Horses and Ponies about a pony spotted in the Fforest Coal Pit area in an emaciated state and with such long, curled up hooves that she was barely able to walk.

Within ten minutes Yard Manager Ann Walker set off with the horse ambulance to search for her.

After walking several miles over the mountain the mare was eventually found and a vet called. It looked, at first, as if the pony would have to be put to sleep in situ. The horse ambulance was down a steep track and there was no access up the mountain to where she had been found.

But, after the vet had administered pain relief, with huge determination and a feisty pony who wanted to live, the team began a two-mile trek across the mountain to reach the ambulance - with the girls falling into brambles whilst keeping the pony upright and persuading her to walk.

By the time they finally returned to SWHP headquarters at St Maughan’s the entire operation had taken around seven hours.

A spokesman for charity said, “After being x-rayed by Sarah Carr, the vet from Abbey Equine who helped her on the mountain, and with careful trimming by our remedial farrier Lee Morgan, we’re delighted to report that no significant damage appears to have been done to her feet, although it is very early days. She has been named Curly and is now learning to walk on her new hooves! We are hopeful that she will have a good future ahead of her. She is believed to be four years old.

“We have always been convinced that Curly was dumped on the mountain from a stable and we found her just in time as she would not have survived much longer.

“We are thrilled with the progress she is making. She is so much perkier and is managing to walk around the yard, albeit cautiously and with faltering steps.

“This is the second time in recent weeks that our yard manager Ann Walker has displayed amazing determination to save an animal. She has also spent weeks feeding and treating an injured orphan foal every two hours throughout the night after it had been found in a sink hole on Llangynidyr Moors at a few days old.

“We’re so fortunate to have such dedicated staff at SWHP, supported by our wonderful vets and our farrier.”

* The Annual Duck Race at Swan Meadows in Abergavenny this Sunday is in aid of SWHP’s Winter Feed Appeal to help ponies just like Curly, Ducks cost £1 with the chance to win £100 and other prizes. It starts at 3pm and ducks can be purchased on the day.