You will never believe that these ponies will one day be adoptable based on the initial condition we found them in. Continue reading below to find out more about our newest rescues: Bubbles, Carnival, Confetti, Donovan and Junior.
The Call
Earlier this week, we got a call from a man who said his mother had passed away suddenly. She had left him a small plot of land where her house and a some what run down looking barn sat. Upon his exploration of the property, he discovered that his mother was keeping 5 ponies in the barn, which he claimed to have no previous knowledge of. He said they looked to be in pretty bad condition and asked if we would be able to take them in, as he did not have the means to keep and take care of them.
The Rescue
Farm owner, Madison, and head horse instructor Sofia, rallied up a team to head out to the rural Jackson, NJ property. They were going into the rescue blind, since the man refused to give any concrete information about the condition of the ponies. As soon as the team pulled into the driveway, the overwhelming scent of ammonia burned their eyes and noses, and they were still a good 20+ feet from the barn entrance (which looked as if it would blow over at the slightest breeze). However, it could not prepare them for what they were about to find on the other side of the door.
The ponies were living in their own filth, covered in their own excrements. About a foot and a half to 2 feet of rotting manure covered every inch of the floor, causing the team to put on special boots and overalls just to be able to safely get to the animals. Based on that, the team estimated that the barn hadn't been properly cleaned for at least 6 months or more. The stable doors were practically bursting at the seams from the lack of care, causing a safety issue for the ponies, as they could have gotten their legs stuck in the gaps. Extensive cleaning had to be done before any assessment could be performed on the horses.
State of the Ponies
Bubbles
Age: 10 years old
Breed: Skewbald Shetland Stallion
Condition: Extremely long hooves; the front left was the worst which was starting to curl around. His stable was overflowing with dirty bedding, and we suspected he had some form of skin infection has he repeatedly dropped to the ground to roll around on his back to scratch after being released.
Donovan
Age: 6 years old
Breed: Skewbald Stallion Cob
Condition: Dirty coat, extremely overgrown and matted hooves and mane; even the hair around his lips were matted with feces. It was obvious that he had not been outside in quite some time as he was physically and mentally unsure of how to exit the stable.
Junior
Age: 11 years old
Breed: Piebald Gelding
Condition: Similar condition to Donovan. Very dirty coat and overgrown hooves. He also was physically and mentally unable to exit the stable.
Carnival
Age: 10 years old
Breed: Skewbald Shetland Mare
Condition: In much better condition than the others. However, she still had very overgrown hooves that were starting to curl.
Confetti
Age: 10 years old
Breed: Chestnut Shetland Mare
Condition: In much better condition than the others. However, she still had very overgrown hooves that were starting to curl.
Based on an assessment from our local vet, it had been determined that the ponies' hooves had not been trimmed for at least 6 to 12 months, probably longer.
What Now?
Since being in our possession, our staff and volunteers have been working tirelessly to make sure the ponies are comfortable and taken care of. The first order of business was to make sure their hooves were properly trimmed, so they would not be in any more pain trying to move around. We are currently working on getting them all to a healthy weight, treating any underlying infections or conditions and rehabilitating them to trust human interaction. We hope to have them back to 100% in a few weeks in order to participate in our petting zoo, horseback riding programs and/or find their forever homes. For more information on our new ponies, please call us or come visit them in person!
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