“Oh my god, they have ponies!”
As I began my hoof trimming career, I heard stories about how difficult it was to trim hooves on miniature horses and ponies, how they had tons of attitude, were hard on the back and liked to bite. So I was understandably a bit wary when I trimmed my first pony. By the end of the first hoof, I was in love. Sure, I have been bit by ponies and they can be a little hard on the back, but I adore them.
One of the first things you’ll hear me say when I pull up to a new client’s place and see Littles there is the line above. So it was only natural that I would end up with a mini of my own before long.
I had already started to specialize in helping foundered minis and ponies by the time I attended a hoof trimming clinic in early 2018. At the clinic, I was able to trim a beautiful little mini mare with founder issues. After I was done, I was approached by another clinic participant who asked me if I would be interested in doing a case study on a foundered mini. A friend of hers was trying to find a home for her little gelding with bad feet, and if I wanted him, I could have him for free.
That was how I met Poker, our little blond boy. Of course, I loved him from the moment I saw him. He hadn’t trotted in at least two years and was very slow on his feet but was the sweetest little guy I had ever met. He loved attention and snuggles.
It took a couple months of trimming on a two-week schedule before we got the chance to see him trotting around the pasture and playing with his donkey buddies. A couple months after that, he loped for the first time in years.
But Pokey did something else, too, by coming to the farm. He opened up our hearts to minis. Prior to Pokey, we had planned on starting a donkey sanctuary. With Pokey, we decided that minis and ponies needed us too.
Pokey is a genuinely special guy. When we brought home Echo, Pokey was the first one to greet her and accept her (and fall in love with her). When Lacey arrived, Pokey welcomed her and made her feel like part of the herd. And when Pancakes arrived, Pokey was the one who never gave up on becoming his friend even when he was overwhelmed and kicking at everyone. Now he and Pokey are attached, groom each other and are rarely apart. Pokey is the Sanctuary Welcomer now. He just loves all the new minis and ponies that arrive and makes them feel like they belong.
If you come to visit the sanctuary, I can guarantee that Poker will be one of the first ponies to come to the fence to meet you and introduce you to his friends!