Japonica, who is a pedigree welsh pony, doesn’t look her age but she is actually 34 years old. Japonica is fit and well and has a lovely nature. Problems arose for her when her owners could no longer look after her. Looking after a pony at livery is a huge financial and time commitment, when children grow up and move away, it’s often difficult for parents – what do you do with a pony you can’t care for any more? It’s a problem for a lot of horse owners. Horses are wanted when they are young and able to be ridden and compete but when they are outgrown, go lame or reach advanced years, what happens to them?
Japonica’s owners are caring and responsible people, who are very much attached to their equine friend. When they approached us we agreed to take Japonica in, and, although she is a great age for a horse, we’ve had them live much longer. Sanctuary resident, Samantha, who was also a welsh pony, was 55 years when she passed on. It’s all down to t.l.c., an elderly horse needs different care and a lot more ‘coddling’ than a youngster. Checking their teeth is important, like us they can have dental problems as they get older and this makes them unable to eat.
Ensuring that our horse companions have a good retirement and knowing their end is one of the best things we can do for them. Selling the old horse to a ‘good’ home where he or she will continue to do work, no matter how light, is not a good option. The next step from there is the saleroom and a miserable fate, often at the hands of the meat man. Japonica is one of the lucky ones, she settled down right away and made friends with Danniboy and Krystal who are about the same size. Welcome, old girl, we hope you will have many more happy years here with us at the sanctuary.