Horses are like Crisps.......You Can Never Have Just One!

The unicorn has been here nearly a year, and although there have been tough times with him, he is part of our family. I had never ruled out the idea of getting another horse, mainly as a companion for Magic, but also had to consider the extra cost. Alongside the cost, there is the fact that I do not have enough time to brush my hair these days, let alone cope with more animals.

Then I received the phone call, now my phone rings all day, with people asking me to take their animals, mainly dogs. I have learnt to be hard, and say NO....although this does not always happen. The power of social media and technology in our lives, means that people back their requests up with photos. So, when I am asked to help a horse that needs somewhere to go, there was no real doubt I was going to say no.

The photos I was sent were of an old, worn down horse, who simply deserved better, why should he not live his days being loved, fed and respected. The horse turned out to be 18, and had been owned by an old Spanish man who had to leave his home, and move to a retirement place. This was not his choice, but his head strong family thought they knew what was best.

Over the years he had allowed headcollers to remain on the horse for far too long, he had been left to go hungry when there was no food, and his joints had got stiff from never leaving his small make shift home. I agreed to take the horse, and from that moment his life changed, people commented that he was not skin and bone, and did he need "saving".

I think this raises the question, of what does need saving in the world, you can have the strongest person or animal, yet they are incredibly unhappy. Happiness and good health are not measured by the condition of your skin, or how much you eat, it is measured by a deep feeling inside.

Was the horse unhappy, who knows, all I do know is he has regular food, gets to roll in the dirt, and live with no expectations at all. There are far too many people that rescue animals, horses in particular to use for riding, old rescue horses are used as they are often cheap. It is a sad world we live in that rescue animals are used for commercial gain, and not simply allowed to be happy and retire in peace.