From central England comes the feel good story of a tiny pony rescued from disease whose winning and warming hearts of visitors at the rescue center where he was nursed back to health.
Last March, Pickle the 9-month-old Shetland Pony was found critically ill after the nonprofit World Horse Welfare responded to an animal welfare call.
Pickle was then so weak, he could barely stand and hardly breathe, and later tests revealed he was suffering from several diseases, including strangles, equine flu, and salmonella.
Charlotte Melvin works as a field officer at World Horse Welfare, and she was part of the team that first encountered Pickle in his sorry state.
“He very nearly didn’t make it, but eventually turned a corner and started to recover,” she told the country’s Southwest News Service. “The team worked so hard to nurse him back to health and his vet said she’s never known a pony to test positive for salmonella as many times as he did.”
According to other team members, he was so small when he was first found that one person was able to carry him to the horse trailer on their own.
Pickle was then taken for ‘immediate and intensive’ treatment at a private holding yard, where he was nursed back to health.
All grown up to a mighty 28-inches tall, Pickle is winning the hearts of visitors at Penny Farm Rescue and Rehoming Center where he is living until a permanent home can be found.
After completing a two-week quarantine period, the 114-pound pony, was able to join the other horses and ponies in the main yard at Penny Farm where he immediately began to charm everyone and everything around him.
“I went and collected him with one of my colleagues and it was just incredible to see how bright he’d become,” Melvin said. “The contrast from that tiny foal who was too weak to stand and could barely breathe was extraordinary.”
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“At a year old, Pickle is still only a teeny seven ‘hands’ high (28 inches) so it’s no surprise that our visitors fall in love with him as soon as they set eyes on him,” said Adam Cummins, Penny Farm Center Manager.
“There’s going to be a long list of people wanting to rehome him when he’s ready, but that’s a long way off yet. For now, he’s enjoying being a happy young pony playing with his friends—he’s got a lot of fun to catch up on after being so ill at such a young age.”
Pickle has since made a best friend in his stablemate, a pony called Cheddar, with whom he enjoys grazing and playing in the field.
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Pickle is so tiny that the Penny Farm team struggled to find a bridle small enough for him, but World Horse Welfare’s corporate partners LeMieux kindly stepped in, supplying him with a customized piece.
Staff at the farm have said Pickle will be available for transfer for permanent pastures once he’s completed his rehabilitation, which will be later this year.
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