Helping Rafiki Get a Leg Up in Life - KXNet - Bismarck/Minot/Williston/Dickinson

Rafiki is a miniature horse who suffered a major injury.

He's a little horse with a big will to live.

Ag Reporter Sarah Gustin caught up with Triple H Miniature Horse Rescue before making the trip to give Rafiki a leg up in life.

Slowly but surely Rafiki made his way from Minnesota to Mandan.

(Alison Smith / Triple H Miniature Horse Rescue) "I really call it divine intervention I do, because I feel like there is something that just lead him to us. And it wasn't just tugging at my heart string, you want to follow your heart and your head."

Triple H Miniature Horse Rescue Founder Alison Smith followed her heart all the way to Minnesota to rescue a horse she didn't even know.

(Alison Smith / Triple H Miniature Horse Rescue) "She said all he had to eat was bread and watermelon. I don't know why someone would feed a horse bread or watermelon, but there was no hay or grain on the premise. He is thin. Which at this point might be good because of his leg issue, but he is too thin."

That leg issue is this--Rafiki doesn't have a hoof, but only a stump.

(Alison Smith / Triple H Miniature Horse Rescue) "He is healthy and he is happy and he gets around. There would be no reason to put this horse down, but it is going to be a costly situation."

Triple H is now on their way to Sheridan, Wyoming to get this little pony a new hoof.

(Sarah Gustin / sgustin@kxnet.com) "Rafiki has a long road to recovery. He leaves for Wyoming today and he'll only get home close to Thanksgiving."

(Alison Smith / Triple H Miniature Horse Rescue) "He does have a long road ahead. He has to have further amputation. They have to amputate above where the damaged tissue and bone are first, but he will be able to walk immediately after his amputation. Without putting any pressure on his stump. That takes 45 days to heal and then they fit him with a prosthesis then they watch for pressure sores, things like that, so that takes a while."

Smith says the procedure and follow up care will cost about 12-thousand dollars.

The most the Rescue has ever spent on a single horse.  

(Alison Smith / Triple H Miniature Horse Rescue) "I just feel there is something out there that he is meant to do. And I think we want to help him get there to do it. I think there is a lot of people he can inspire." 

If you would like to help Rafiki you can contact Triple H Miniature Horse Rescue at 220-4449.

You can also follow Rafiki's story on facebook, search---Help Rafiki Get a Leg Up in Life.