The elderly horse was reported to be wondering aimlessly in the Mallusk area at the weekend. He has since been taken into the care of the Crosskennan Lane Animal Sanctuary (CLAS) in Antrim.
The sanctuary has been told by several people that the horse belonged to the late Mickey Marley who brought his famous roundabout to Belfast city centre, giving joy to a generation of children.
Mickey Marley, who died in 2005, was immortalised in a song by popular folk group Barnbrack.
Lyn Friel, the Sanctuary's founder and manager, got a call for help at the weekend. She said nothing could have prepared the CLAS volunteers for the shocking sight of the emaciated horse that awaited them.
"When he was eventually found, he was soaked through and was nothing short of a walking skeleton," a spokesperson said. "The fact that he has survived in such a poor condition is a testament to his will to live. It was decided because of this will, that the old horse would be taken back to Crosskennan, where everything possible would be done to give him the best chance of recovery."
At CLAS he has a deep, clean bed and gets small warm mashes as he no longer has teeth to grind hay or grass. He is fed to every two hours, morning and night, to gradually reacquaint his body to food.
"We have been told by several people that this old horse was one of the horses that helped Mickey Marley to bring his famous roundabout to Belfast.
"Mickey, who sadly died in 2005, would have been shocked and appalled to see how his once doted-on horse and companion was left to die in such a heartless way.
"If the old Mallusk horse, named Marley by volunteers, that gave so much happiness and was held in such affection, can end up left to starve, then what hope have the rest?
"Horse owners should take heed; be responsible for their horse's life and death when the time comes and allow them to die with dignity, without pain."
CLAS has been a charity since 1996 and deals with animal welfare issues on a daily basis. It is appealing to the public for help them raise funds to pay for the expensive treatment required for Marley to make a full recovery.
"CLAS desperately need funds to enable it to continue its vital work. The public can help in many ways; by hands-on volunteering, holding fundraising events, helping at bag-packing in local supermarkets, distributing collection boxes, administration, general maintenance at CLAS,sponsoring an animal,donating good quality blankets, cat and dog food and many more ways," added the CLAS spokesperson.
You can contact CLAS by calling 028 94465384 or by emailing crosskennan@hotmail.co.uk.