Queen Elizabeth left shattered to the core after heart-wrenching death of her ponies

Queen Elizabeth is an avid horse keeper and is someone who is incredibly attached to her ponies. 

However, the unexpected passing away of all five of her Balmoral ponies from a mysterious disease called Equine Grass Sickness (EGS) left the monarch devastated for days. 

As noted by the British Horse Society magazine, the disease struck Queen's Balmoral Estate in Scotland in 2017, claiming the lives of all her horses. 

"There is so much we need to know," Balmoral stud manager Sylvia Ormiston said. "We don’t even really know how many equines die of EGS each year because testing doesn’t always happen."

"Here at Balmoral we are prepared to help in any way we can to make progress towards a cure for this dreadful disease."

The deadly disease is thought to be triggered by toxins which attack the nervous system and eventually paralyse the animal's gut.

Ormiston, who has been working with the Queen since 1952, said that they are proud of their herd.

"I do often have comments saying how well-mannered the ponies are, and when I hear this, I know my job is done!"

Revealing how Queen Elizabeth is always so involved in making decisions about her ponies, Ormiston added, "The Queen is involved in every decision we make."

"We try and breed the traits we want, then give them the right education and handling from the word go.

The royal ponies are then shown for the Queen’s pleasure because she likes to take part. A prize is a bonus!" Ormiston concluded.