[vc_row][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_custom_heading text=”Barney – one of the lucky ones” font_container=”tag:h2|text_align:left” google_fonts=”font_family:Raleway%3A100%2C200%2C300%2Cregular%2C500%2C600%2C700%2C800%2C900|font_style:400%20regular%3A400%3Anormal”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_masonry_media_grid style=”all” items_per_page=”10″ element_width=”4″ gap=”5″ filter_size=”md” button_style=”rounded” button_color=”blue” button_size=”md” arrows_design=”none” arrows_position=”inside” arrows_color=”blue” paging_design=”radio_dots” paging_color=”grey” loop=”” autoplay=”-1″ item=”201″ include=”178,180,177,181,179,176″][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_column_text]Last September I was saddened to see pictures and hear of the story of a little pony called Barney. As soon as Rose told us about him we went to see him and were more than happy to help and offer him a home to carry on with his recovery.
The pictures were devastating, this sweet, kind and loving pony had been left for dead, starved and living off his own feces with painfully long feet, serious muscle wastage and sharp teeth. Rose had had him for two weeks, she put him on some grazing. had his feet trimmed and when we saw him for the first time he was shy with a weak neck and a bloated tummy. But even after only two weeks with Trent Valley you could see he had a lovely spirit in there just waiting to come out.
We took him home and over the past year it has been amazing to watch his recovery and incredibly rewarding. It took roughly three to four months for him to stop eating his own feces and he would only go to the toilet in 1 corner of the field. Barney had had no interaction with humans or horses and was petrified by my other horses. So we put him on his own but next to them for a while and over time he got to know them over the fence and now it is amazing to watch them all in together grooming each other, running and playing.
It wasn’t just the trust he had to gain in people and other horses, physically he has changed completely. What used to be a saggy slumped over neck is now firm and healthy. His back end is rounded and hard with a full but unbloated stomach. He is fully wormed, with no more sharp teeth and his coat is shiny and smooth. He loves to be groomed and fussed over, loves the other horses, has an extremely cheeky personality and has become a lovely family pony. He is an absolute pleasure and after just under a year looks incredible.
It really is rewarding watching him with his high spirit and love of life. It is so hard to understand any cruelty to animals and Barney was one of the lucky ones, if only they could all be given a chance.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]