Ah... this may well open a Pandora's box with me. I run an animal sanctuary so there's like... 8 bazillion animals who live here. Hmm, who first, Mom wonders?
Oh, well duh. PONIES! YAH!
This is Lady Jewel and her son Ponyta. Jewel was rescued with a group of other ponies from starvation and abuse. She has been at the sanctuary for four years and because of the tortures she has suffered, Jewel and the others in her group will never be adopted out. Ponyta however, was born on the farm just a tad over a year ago. He is training now to become a therapy horse and he will work with autistic children. He is a shy fellow, but loves kids. He's going to be a champ at his job.
From the left: Lady Jewel, Ponyta, in the back is Buddy, the black mare is Misty, then Princess Sparkle and Princess Twinkle.
Aside from Ponyta and Misty, these Pony all came in together, fleeing a horrid home where they were allowed to be hungry and sick. Some show signs of physical abuse. Missing from the picture is Beauty who was behind me when I took this, and Studmuffin who lives with other ponies elsewhere on the farm. This was taken this weekend, they were waiting for their dinner. They were amazingly well behaved!
Dinner is serious business here, and something I still have to be careful with. Breakfast is laid back, because they haven't been awake long. They get hay and 12% creep (a livestock ration) and go out to graze. At dinner though they are a little aggressive and kick each other. And me if I get in the way. I assume this is a throwback to when they remember being hungry. Ponyta, Misty and Beauty were all born on the farm so they have no bad times to remember, so they're my good guys.
Sadly two other ponies, Bebe and Flicka came in with this group but could not be saved. I like to think they're somewhere with lots of green grass and happy. For the short while I had them, they were sweet, gentle girls who deserved far better than what they received.
Next will be pics of the missing Beauty, Stud Muffin and our two resident horses!