Found a pony in my yard.

[Foxglove]

She’s in the barn now. It’s been two days and so far neither the Sheriff or I have been able to locate an owner. Local humane society has been notified, as have feed store and veterinarians. Pony appears well cared for, feet recently done, very healthy, well trained. I live only 4 miles off the 80-90 Toll road, but that’s a long way for a little pony to travel. I think she’s a local Amish pony, maybe a school pony. Talked to all the Amish around me and no one is missing a pony. They’ll ask other Amish on Sunday. Here’ her pix:

<a href=“http://s236.photobucket.com/user/foxgloveweeks/media/P8280002_zpsubzp94dx.jpg.html” target="_blank"><img src=“http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff31/foxgloveweeks/P8280002_zpsubzp94dx.jpg” border=“0” alt=" photo P8280002_zpsubzp94dx.jpg"/></a>

Foxglove

[Foxglove]

Pony is located in Middlebury IN --still no one’s claimed her.

[Foxglove]

Pony still with me --no owners so far. FYI very well trained pony --picks up feet, stands quietly, leads nicely, quiet. Located in Northern Indiana . . .

[Foxglove]

One week today and the pony is still here. She’s a good pony, healthy, feet done recently, nicely brushed though unclipped. Sound. Quiet. Stands quietly in cross ties, allows all four feet to be picked up. Leads nicely in hand and from horse back. Willing to go out alone or with another horse. Just for my own information, I tried loading her. Loads great.

I have done EVERYTHING I can think of to find the owner–announced in schools (English and Amish) flyers in every feed store, veterinary, harness shop, post office, library, bank and hardware store. All farriers given flyers. Knocked on doors in my area of all horse/pony owners. Contacted Sheriff and local animal shelters. Posted on local 4-H saddle club and local Pony Club facebook pages asking members to ask their Amish classmates. Posted on COTH.

At this point I’m going to wait 30 days, then file to have her declared an “estray.” Then I’ll donate her to the local handicapped riding program who is looking for PONIES.

In all honesty this situation is STRANGE --can you imagine reading a story that stared out, “The pony walked into the yard. Though pretty, well cared for, gentle, and well trained, no owner came forward. For young (insert name of child here), it was a dream come true --her own pony, a gift of the fates!” NO ONE would believe that a PONY would just WALK into a person’s yard and have no owner. I mean, how many times did you lie awake at night and WISH you’d find a pony in your yard?

Foxglove

[Foxglove]

Pony owner found!! Two weeks after the pony came to me, an Amishman came by and said he’d heard I found a pony. He thought the pony might be his. But he said he really didn’t want her back as she had not been a suitable school pony for his children. I had moved the pony to a farm north of me where there was a fence that could hold a pony. And there was a lonely mare who needed a friend and a college girl with a soft heart who loved the pony even though she KNEW it might only be there a little while. I took the Amishman to see the pony. It was his. He told the girl what he knew about the pony --she could be ridden or driven but she was strong in the harness, too strong for his children to drive, but he could drive her fine. He said when she trotted really fast, her hind leg “dragged a bit.” He asked the girl if she’d take the pony, she said yes. So pony mystery solved --sort of–except WHY did the pony run away from home? The only guess we had was she’d gotten out of her (2 acre) pasture and gotten lost in the corn field, wandering until she came out, then was headed back home along the road, the way she knew. BUT (and I didn’t ask) why it took the Amishman TWO WEEKS to notice his pony was gone, and even then, he didn’t look for her. He said that “Menno told me you found a pony.” Menno lives south of both of us and had seen one of my (many, many) flyers. When he told his wife, she said their pony was gone missing. But still how do you MISS a pony on two acres??? Anyway, pony ended up in a good place, Amishman seemed happy with it. And I was glad not to have a MARE on my place (I only have geldings.)

Foxglove