A pony has been given a prosthetic leg after being hit by a car and left for dead on the roadside.

The 11-month-old grey named Chai Phut was grazing when a vehicle smashed into him in Uthai Thani, central Thailand.

The heartless driver then left the injured equine in pain with its broken leg.

Buddhist monks from a nearby temple took in Chai Phut and began caring for him. However, he needed to have the lower part of his left hind leg amputated.

The adorable pony has now had a prosthetic leg and hoof fitted - allowing him to scamper around the field with other houses.

Footage from Monday (August 17) shows Chai Phut enjoying his freedom at the Wat Jaeng temple in the north of the country.

Buddhist abbot Phra Athikarnphumnisit said they have been caring for the horse for the past four months after it was injured.

He said: ''The pony lost its left hind leg due to a car accident which required an amputation to keep it alive. We wanted him to be able to move like every other animal we have, so we organised with the Livestock Department for a prosthetic leg.

''Taking care of the pony is part of our duty, part of the Buddhist way of life to care for all living creatures.''

The monk said that Chai Phut was able to survive with three legs but it was a struggle for him to hop around the fields.

Moved by the horse's condition, district council official Sarayut Wannasut decided to raise money and coordinate with a local clinic to create a prosthetic leg for the pony.

At first, Chai Phut was not accustomed to having a foreign object attached to its body.

The officials then created a favourable environment for the creature, with a custom-made stable where the horse was forced to stand and walk in the confined area.

Eventually he became used to his limb and Chai Phut can now walk freely around the grounds of the Buddhist temple.

Phra Athikarnphumnisit added: ''Chai Phut is like a holy gift for us. It is a lesson that every life is valuable.''