The pony was dumped by the road and covered in cuts

The 17-year-old pony was found beside the A9 Auchterarder to Dunning Road covered in cuts and abscesses, some of which were infested with maggots.

The Scottish SPCA is appealing for information to find the person responsible for the pony's condition.

Senior inspector Don Wilson said: "This is a horrific act of cruelty of the very worst kind."

The male pony is black and described as being in a "severe state of neglect".

Senior Inspector Wilson said: "He had cuts all over his body and lacerations around his hooves which could have been caused by barbed wire.

There is no reason why anyone should have allowed this animal to suffer Don Wilson Scottish SPCA

"He had five abscesses on his body. One on his side had burst and left a hole the size of a tennis ball. His wounds were severely infected, some with terrible maggot infestations.

"There is no reason why anyone should have allowed this animal to suffer and quite simply, we want to find the person responsible."

Mr Wilson believes the pony's owners did not have the money or inclination to have the animal treated and dumped the horse in an act of "cowardice and neglect".

He said: "It is likely that the pony was abandoned within the last two weeks because he isn't scared of humans and was calm when approached."

The pony, named Prince by Scottish SPCA animal welfare staff, is being treated at the Lothian Animal Welfare Centre in Balerno near Edinburgh.