A Tribute To Polly

On Friday, a very sad day came. A day Jo and I have been discussing and dreading for a while.....Time to let Polly go over the Rainbow Bridge.

Polly was abandoned at the Farm, several years ago (Anywhere between 8 and 12 years ago).  At the time she belonged to someone else and already been stabled 24/7 for 2 years.  She had already given up, but after a little tlc from Jo became a happy pony again.  When the owners left with their ponies, they left Polly behind (maybe she had no further use to them?).

She then went out on loan to Ellie and taught her children to ride, having a brilliant time. However she had developed EMS,  a precursor to Cushings and very similar to Human Diabetes. At the time not much was known about EMS so Jo had her back. Doing a lot of research into Diabetes, Jo developed a feed for Polly, with a mixture of Homeopathic and Herbal remedies. EMS causes a loss of blood flow to the feet and therefore mechanical laminitus. The general cure for laminitus is box rest, no grass etc.  We felt it was worth trying a different approach.

So we turned her out!!!!  At first she wore boots filled with memory foam. Once she became sound, that was it. Boots off, normal shoes on. We have been careful to keep her off new grass, but let her have as much old grass as she wants. The walking around that horses do in a herd is essential to keeping the blood flow to the feet.

And so for the last 3 or 4 years, Polly has been sound, fit and enjoying life, out with the herd and teaching children to ride. What a mothers dream!!  She loved children!!  Totally trustworthy.  She wouldn't dream of biting, kicking, or being naughty. The smallest child could catch her in, groom, and tack her up.  Ridden she did as she was asked, without a complaint.  She taught so many kids the basics of walk, trot and canter, without a thought of bucking, napping, or trying to snatch grass. A complete confidence giver. 

To us, Polly was like a big pet. Every day we have let her roam free, grazing verges etc, when there was no grass in the paddocks.  On hearing her food being mixed, she would politely appear outside the tack room. In winter she would find her way to the Hay Barn, push through the tarpaulin, and happily munch away. She never needed a headcollar, being happy to follow us back to the others. 

We worked out she was about 27 this year.  Her Arthritis started to become more noticeable, and it became harder to keep weight on. We were feeding soaked nuts and Barley, plus the magic supplements all Summer. We know she had some loose teeth, hence the mushy feed.  We also knew she had a nasty looking growth on her top gum. Too old for the anaesthetic that she would have needed to remove it, we started to feed loose hay in the paddocks, just in case she couldn't pick through a hay net.

We had many discussions, and decided while Polly was still enjoying life, and had a spark in her, we would carry on and let ourselves be guided by our gut instinct and what Poll was telling us. You can tell in a horses eye when they have had enough. The problem with humans is they overthink things. Am I letting her go too soon? Too late?  Its a hard decision.

At the end of October we had a Halloween Party for the kids.  Polly was full of it. Competitive in the games.....Almost smiling!!  The next day, she was galloping around bucking.  Day by day, as it has got colder, she has slowed down. Her feet had started to hurt. Her knees had started to swell and get stiff. Each day, she has appeared perky when fed, but then moved real slow back to the field. We had noticed she had started to spend a lot of time asleep. The Hammer Blow came when sweet Lil ( who may become an Alpha Mare) started to drive Polly out of the herd.  In the wild, the Alpha Mare drives out the sick, old and lame, to fend for themselves. Sad but its for the good of the Herd. Can't have anyone slowing them down.

Looking at Polly she seemed soooo tired. This was the time. Not too soon....it was only a month ago she was Rocking, and not too late, not suffering, though her eyes were telling us she had had enough.

We had a lot of children up to say Goodbye the night before, which must have pleased Polly. Jo, Ellie and I tried to be brave, but didn't quite manage it. 

We have been so touched by the messages, letters, flowers and drawings done by the Children who loved Polly as we did.

Polly was the kind of pony that everyone loved. Sweet and Kind.  Not a bad bone in her body. I am missing her so much, and my heart aches from not seeing her....So I cannot imagine what Jo and Ellie feel, having known her so much longer. xx

I give you Polly.....One In a Million XX

It Finally Rained And The Search

So it finally rained in August!!  June and July were completely dry. Not a drop of wet stuff. Our grass became standing hay.  The ground was like concrete. The temperatures hit 32c . We almost became used to it. Almost..... We finally said those words "Its Too Hot" which we vowed not to utter in the extremes of the worst winter we have seen for 10 years. Truth is we don't do extremes in England.  A baking hot summer has been as trying as a freezing snowy winter.

So we haven't ridden. We have spent the heatwave working in the heat to keep the horses cool, fly free and fed (we have even had to feed hay!!) Its amazing how extreme heat saps you, as does extreme cold. The Ponies look amazing and have coped as well as they did in the snow. They were getting used to being hosed down. Lu even stood under a sprinkler.  And Charlie positively loves fly spray now, coming over to get it (and trying to eat it).

But at last we had blissful rain.....Oh how we loved getting soaked. Another short heatwave followed the rain, but the last week or so we have had a few cooler rainy days. The ground is softer, and greening up.  Theres hope yet.

Over the last couple of days we have moved the ponies to the Winter Grazing. Yes its very early, but we are hoping for September revival!!  We still have four acres of standing hay (which is getting greener).  Piggy has gone home as Mini seems to be recovered from the shock of losing her best friend and Piggy is prone to laminitus.  We loved having him.  Mega thanks to Sarah who owns him. 

So the search is on for another mothers dream on loan.  We decided against another Shetland, as Mini is actually doing a sterling job with the little kids.  Who knew??? After 15 years of being sweet on the ground, but unrideable she has finally grown up. With her buddy Sweet Pea she has always been L'Enfant Terrible.  But now she seems to accept she has to take up responsibility and its time to grow up, buy a semi, and play squash with Gerald on a Friday Night!

So we have decided to find another Polly instead.  Polly is actually enjoying her teaching and is full of life, but she is 26/7 so may want to share the burden. To this end we drove to Kings Lynn yesterday to look at a Dartmoor Hill Pony. Very sweet pony but only 6 and sadly already ruined by a child!!  Yes shocking, but this 12/13 year old girl was so rough with her, the pony was totally freaked out by having her bridle on. And wasn't good with the farrier, and didn't travel. And they had had her since a yearling. With the right handling this pony would have been perfect, but unfortunately the child had wreaked her.  The mum was lovely and kept telling her child to be gentle.  Too nice.  If it had been my child, it would have been banned from riding until it quietened down. Sorry Mum if you are reading this.....But you know your child is a brat.......Sort her out. Hopefully this sweet pony will find a home with children that love her.

Although we are set up to sort out problem ponies, in fact I relish it, what we are actually looking for ourselves is a mothers dream.  Good with children is essential, quiet, been there done it.  We have to have a mare because of Charlie. Must live out 24/7 although in my experience ponies thrive out 24/7 as its natural. We need a 12.2hh to 13hh for the older kids, preferably stocky so I can ride it out. The pony will have a 5 star home, in a natural herd, but in return must be willing to teach youngsters and put up with petting, grooming and glittering.

Thanks please share .

Ps.... I would love another Fell Pony although it would have to be a smaller one.

Fell pony (my Paddy)

Polly.. A Mothers Dream