Firefighters found the ponies in a barn that had caught fire in North Texas, with Bella the pony standing over her two-week-old foal Butterscotch in a bid to protect her from the flames.
Whitney Hanson of the Humane Society of North Texas explained to KHOU.com: "She actually kind of backed the baby into the corner and stood over her and shielded her from the fire and the debris that was falling.
"It's just that mother-daughter bond... it's an instinct. She was ready to die for her baby."
Thanks to her mother's efforts, Butterscotch escaped with minor burns - but Bella was dangerously unwell. More than half her body was burned and she had injuries from debris falling on her.
But, miraculously, she's still here.
"The only reason she survived and pulled through this is because she loves that baby so much, and she wants to be here for the baby."
The road to recovery is a long one. The two ponies have to be treated twice a day, very day, with disinfectant - as well as take medication.
The burn care was too expensive for the family who owned them previously, so they've been rehoused at the Humane Society of North Texas - and they're asking for the public's help to raise the funds they need to help them make a full recovery.
If you would like to help Bella and Butterscotch, please make a donation over at the Humane Society Of North Texas now.