From near death to new life: How UAE offroaders saved starving horse in Fujairah wadi
Pavel, a Russian national who has lived in Dubai for over 20 years, was visiting the picturesque Icelandic Lake near Masafi with his wife last Friday when he noticed a frail, malnourished horse drinking from the water's edge.
'It was painfully thin,' Pavel recalled. 'You could see its ribs. It looked like it hadn't eaten in days. I knew it wouldn't survive much longer without help, so I took a few photos, thinking maybe someone in my off-roading group might know what to do.'
But Pavel was struck down with a fever and couldn't immediately follow up. It wasn't until several days later, while still recovering, that he posted the photo to a WhatsApp group for Dubai Offroaders, one of the UAE's oldest off-roading communities, founded in 2007.
The response was immediate.
Among the first to react was Samuel Harrison, a British freelance riding instructor affiliated with the Dubai Polo Club. 'The image broke my heart,' said Samuel. 'A horse in that condition, alone in the wild, doesn't have much time. I called Pavel right away to get the location.'
By mid-afternoon, Samuel and his friend Nicholas Paillart had loaded their vehicle with emergency supplies — hay, water, and basic veterinary tools — and set off for the remote mountain terrain near the lake.
'We found her high up in the wadi, barely standing,' Samuel said. 'She was weak, but still had the will to live.'
Realising the horse was too fragile to walk long distances and that the terrain was too rough for a transport vehicle, the rescuers contacted Move My Horse, a UAE-based horse transport service.
'It wasn't easy,' said Samuel. 'We had to hike through rocky trails, guide her carefully down the slopes, and help her into the lorry. It took hours, but we weren't going to leave her there.'
The horse was taken straight to Sharjah Equine Hospital where she is now under observation and receiving treatment. He said the veterinarians are hopeful about her recovery.
'We've named her Najia, which means 'survivor' in Arabic,' said Samuel. 'Because that's exactly what she is.'
As Najia begins her road to recovery, the group hopes her story will raise awareness about abandoned animals and the importance of community action. Pavel says he's humbled by how things turned out.
'I just took a picture,' he said. 'But it was the people like Samuel who saw it and acted, who saved her life.'
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