PHAROAH:
Pharoah was the first to join us in winter 2010/2011, his arrival from Co. Wicklow delayed for several weeks by the unusual amounts of frost and snow. It seemed every time his journey was arranged there was a fresh fall of snow either here or on the Wicklow mountains. Finally, early in January, he arrived, delivered by his owners who were forced to part with him through no fault of their own.
At 21 years old Pharoah was persistently lame after being ridden, not good news when he was being kept in a half-livery situation where he needed to work. The veterinary prognosis was not good and his owners were advised towards euthanasia.
Reasoning that he could not possibly kill this beautiful animal who had so carefully looked after his three daughters for the last ten years, Pharoah’s owner embarked on a search for a retirement home for him. After drawing several blanks he contacted us, and thankfully did not baulk at us being situated on the opposite side of the country!
After a long journey with delays due to a puncture on the trailer Pharoah was naturally a bit out of sorts for a day or two but we noticed he was whinnying constantly to our neighbours ponies, a grey mare and our fostered albino mare. He was even shouting to a white cow in the distance. A chat with his ex owner revealed that Pharoah’s best friend in the livery yard was an albino pony! Luckily for us our neighbours had already fallen in love with this magnificent animal so it was a universally beneficial decision to move Pharoah down the road to live with grey mare Lily, her foal Nutty and our sweet natured albino pony, Fairy.
Pharoah was delighted, settled in brilliantly and now sees himself as the patriarch of HIS little group! Equine chiropractor David Focardi checked him out and found no worrying musculo-skeletal problems so maybe, come the summer, he will be able to enjoy some very light hacking with the other ponies. If not, he can remain shoeless, fancy free and fully retired.
