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It's heartbreaking to think of this beautiful horse tied on a 30-foot chain in the middle of a field in the scorching heat with no water or food. While no one knows how long he'd been out there, it just took one caring individual to put an end to William's suffering by reporting his situation to Tulare Animal Services. Nothing could have prepared the investigating officer for what she found. As you can imagine, William was completely emaciated, having used up all his body fat and muscle to stay alive. He was covered in fungus, his hair was falling out in huge clumps, and his hooves were in terrible condition. While we knew it would take a significant effort to nurse William back to health, we couldn't turn him away when Tulare Animal Services reached out to us. We knew William deserved all the love and attention he was about to get from our incredible, caring volunteers and us. Through the generosity of a woman who donated her time and her trailer, William arrived at our sanctuary a few days later. Like the Animal Services investigator, we weren't prepared for what we saw. William was in horrible shape and had a weak heart with a grade 5 heart murmur, and on his first day with us, our veterinarian had to clear some feed from his esophagus after he choked. We saw some bulging veins on the side of his head, which the veterinarian believes are attributed to some past trauma. And while he was severely in need of dental work, it couldn't be done until William regained some of his strength. And so the journey began. Following the UC Davis recommendations for re-feeding, our team dedicated themselves to giving William small amounts of food around the clock. Clearly, William had a strong will to live and quickly responded to the love and care he was being given. We were thrilled to see how quickly he put weight on – faster than any other emaciated horse we've ever worked with! In fact, in just six weeks, William went from a body score of 1 (emaciated) to a body score of 5 (ideal body condition). Regaining his weight and his strength, we were able to address his dental issues. The vet was shocked at the condition of his mouth. It was obvious William had not had dental work done in a very long time, if ever. We also cared for his hooves. With his right front foot in such bad condition, it took months of corrective trimming to get the hoof looking normal again. And while he still bears the marks of the fungus that was so deep it left scars and white hair, we believe he wears them proudly as a sign of all the challenges he so bravely endured and overcame. This brings us back to the power of our staff and volunteers' collective caring. Together, we can work miracles; and William is just one example of the meaningful work we're doing with your help. Today, William is a picture of health. He has tons of energy and enjoys galloping around in the turnout pasture. He is truly thriving and is now where he belongs – in a place where he is happy and loved.