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

Sweet Pea ....Over the Rainbow Bridge X

It is with great sadness that I must report that Sweet Pea passed over the Rainbow Bridge on Tuesday. It was a complete shock. She hadn't been ill and was only 18. Jo found her dead in the field in the morning. There were no signs that she had been stressed, or in any pain. We can only conclude that her heart gave out. Although she seemed fit and well, we have no idea what damage may have been caused by her early life.

Jo rescued Sweet Pea as a yearling from the back of a truck at Watton Horse Fair. She was shivering inside the truck, with ribs you could stack dinner plates in, covered in lice and had Strangles and Pneumonia. Jo had to borrow a trailer to bring her home in, with another Shetland, suffering from Strangles as well which her friend Jane bought. Jo's vet thought it best to put her to sleep.

Jo thought otherwise.... She fed her with a turkey baster, and gave her daily injections of antibiotics. Slowly both ponies turned around and became fit and well.

Despite such horrific treatment at the hands of humans, Sweet Pea turned into the sweetest pony, teaching many children to ride over the years. She was never bad tempered or difficult, although she had a few hang ups.  She was greedy......having once been starved, Sweet Pea would scoff for Britain. We had to strip graze her, as given a whole field of grass she would not stop eating. She didn't like having a grazing muzzle on, preferring to rear up and over backwards than have it on. And injections (or maybe just vets?).......The vet had to be quick!!!

3 years after the rescue, Jo bought Mini (Winter Jasmine) . The two mares were inseparable ever since.  Wherever one went, the other was sure to follow. Together they were the most loving rascals.  Mini, having never suffered at the hands of humans, is more self assured and opinionated.  Whenever we brought a new pony in, Sweet Pea would be the first to make friends, Mini reserved judgement. In all their adventures and break outs i am never sure who instigated it. I think it may have been Mini, but she then pretends she was just following Sweet Pea. However, Sweet Pea was always the first to be caught, and then Mini followed.

Sweet Pea was never needy...She would come for a cuddle, but patiently wait behind Mini ( who demands attention). She was calm in all situations. She just was. Only last year, she piloted Nancy with mum Meg in their first show at the Suffolk Showground, coming first in the class.  She could always be trusted to nanny children.

We are sorely missing her.  Mini, who was laying by her body, is extremely sad. Dora, who only knew her for a short time, but was her friend is very needy at the moment, as is Lu who grew up with her. And us humans? We are heartbroken.

Run free Sweet Pea......There are a lot of people mourning you...xx