HAPPA (Horses and Ponies Protection Association) would like to announce a new arrival at the Shores Hey Rescue Centre in Briercliffe and would like to thank HAPPA supporters for suggestions for a name.

The newest resident, joining 70 other equines currently undergoing rehabilitation at the Centre, is a Miniature Shetland pony that was rescued by the charity just over a month ago.

Now the little Shetland has been named as Gandalf after over 1,000 responses through the HAPPA facebook site and via email.

The lucky winner was Amy Weatherald who received one year’s membership to HAPPA along with a complimentary meal voucher worth £30 to spend in the HAPPA Visitor’s Centre!

HAPPA was alerted to the pony’s plight after responding to a call made to the charity by a member of the public.

On arrival at the reported location, HAPPA Equine Inspector David McCormick quickly found the young animal and assessed the situation. “Local concern had grown about this little pony who had been unsuitably tethered a number of weeks ago during twilight hours. A concerned member of the public had been regularly checking on the pony to see if his owners came to tend to him but after time passed and there had been no one along to visit they decided to bring the animal’s plight to HAPPA’s attention. The pony was starting to lose a lot of weight and he was at considerable risk remaining in the situation he was in. There was also no natural shelter to shield him from the elements and I decided to call in a veterinary surgeon to assess the pony’s condition.”

Upon attendance by a Veterinary Surgeon it was confirmed that if the pony was to stay where he was he would continue to lose condition and weight which would be serious and potentially life threatening. The Veterinary Surgeon issued a certificate for removal and the HAPPA Rescue Team from Shores Hey responded and transported the animal to the Centre to begin rehabilitation.

This tiny strawberry roan stallion measures just 31” high and adjustments had to be made to his stable to ensure that he could see out of the door.

Already a favourite with the staff team, he has now settled in well to his new surroundings. He is currently on a rehabilitation programme to enable him to gain weight and start to live a normal life. As we have suffered a recent turn in the weather the pony has also had to have a special rug purchased for him. Centre Manager Julie Jackson explains “He is so small and underweight that he was beginning to feel the cold. This is unusual for a Shetland as they are a native breed and traditionally would be able to sustain themselves in our climate. He is progressing well with our care, but still has a long way to go. Rehabilitating this pony is costly and I would urge anyone interested in supporting his care to make a donation today, every penny counts as we enter yet another winter with a full Centre”.