When young Ashley needed a helping hand to keep her ‘heart horse’, Moon, a local animal welfare organisation, stepped in to jump-start her BackaBuddy campaign!
Howick, South Africa (19 October 2026) – All it takes to turn a dream around is one person – or one caring organisation – willing to be the very first to believe!
When young rider Ashley reached out to Heartland KZN, her BackaBuddy campaign to lease her beloved horse, Moon, had already been live for four days. But despite her best hopes, it hadn’t received a single donation yet.
“I was looking for a horse, and Moon became a very special part of my life. I eventually got the opportunity to lease her, and for around a year and a half she became such an important part of my everyday life,” Ashley shared. “I learned so much from her, created so many memories with her, and grew not only as a rider but also as a person.”
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“Unfortunately, I had to stop leasing her. Now, my biggest goal is to be able to lease Moon again,” she added.
Anyone who has ever owned or deeply bonded with an animal will know that suddenly losing access to them is one of the most heartbreaking experiences. A horse, especially, becomes a teammate, a confidant, and even a safe haven for many – that is why equine therapy is as successful as it is worldwide.
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Lammie, Mopane and Ramadiba: The Fight for Their Freedom Continues!The team at Heartland KZN understood this very special bond deeply and decided they couldn’t just scroll past! Heartland founder TJ personally remembered the exact sting of having to give up a leased horse as a teenager due to financial constraints – a memory that has always stuck with her.
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Moved by Ashley’s passion and dedication, Heartland stepped forward to kick things off with the very first donation to her campaign. The animal welfare group then launched a full community push, sharing Ashley’s story across its social media, networking, and rallying animal lovers everywhere.
Within just three days, their Facebook post reached over 12,000 people and raised more than R3000, breathing instant hope into the campaign!
Ashley is also an aspiring photographer, and she is actively offering photography services at horse shows and local events to help fund Moon’s monthly lease of R1000 herself.
The campaign has now been live for eight days, and thanks to the amazing surge of community support, it has already raised over R5600. She’s nearly halfway to her goal! Small, thoughtful contributions of R20, R50, or R100 are helping bring Ashley and Moon one step closer to another full year together.
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“I actually cannot believe this!” Ashley writes on Instagram. “A HUGE thank you to everyone who has donated, especially our incredible anonymous donor who contributed R2,000! Your words, ‘Keep fighting for what you love’ mean more to me than you know.”
When South Africans decide someone’s dream is worth backing, incredible things can happen!
You can learn more about Ashley’s campaign and lend a helping hand here.
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