A Fond Farewell

Mid-June, Leg Up said goodbye to two of our ponies, Lily and Orion. It was not an easy choice to find new homes for these two, as they have been with Leg Up for most of its existence. But there comes a time when changes have to be made, and this was one of those times.

It was March when these plans began to be discussed. Both of the ponies were having a hard time fitting into Leg Up. We tried everything we could, but some horses are simply not cut out to be therapy horses. And it is not fair to force a horse to do something that they are not good at, and do not enjoy. They will only be miserable, just like a person who has to do something they do not like.

We were not willing though to simply give the two ponies away. Finding a good home for a horse in Ooty is not nearly so easy as finding one in the States. Horses are not treated well in many cases. Even though we could not use the two, we still had to care for them.

Lily was easy to find a home for. Our vet Ilona has a young daughter named Emma, who has been taking riding lessons on Lily, and was very good with her. When we offered Lily to her, she was over the moon. They were also willing to take Orion, though he would not be a riding pony. He would be turned out with their herd of ponies, and basically become a wild pony. It was not ideal for Orion, but it seemed to be our best choice.

Every time Emma saw me, she talked about when Lily would be her pony, and how excited she was about it. She rode Lily for almost every lesson, and could get her to do things the other children could not. It was a perfect match. And Emma is little enough that she will be able to ride Lily for years.

Orion however, concerned me. The closer it got to the time that the ponies would leave, the more concerned I became about Orion. I did not want to see him become a wild pony. It was better than him being on the streets, or belonging to some guy in Ooty who would use him for tourist rides, but we have put so much effort into him over the years. He is our miracle pony, who God kept alive through so much. We have always said that God has a plan for him, and I didn’t see how being a wild pony, roaming around Masinagudi with a wild herd for the rest of his life would be the plan. But what was there to do about it? The ponies would be leaving in less than a week, and there wasn’t anything I could think of. \

Then Mala called, two days before the ponies were to leave. Someone else called, saying they wanted both ponies. We of course could not give Lily to them, but we offered them only Orion, being very clear that he tends to be a bully, and needs consistency in his training, and has reoccurring issues because of his leg. And they still wanted him. They have horse experience, and kids, including one who was part of the dorm that took care of the ponies. He is a very confident, good rider, and will do well with Orion. It was another of those cases where God came through at the last minute, when we had no idea what we could do to change less than ideal circumstances. More proof that God cares about even the smallest thing, and works things together for good.

We have heard from both owners since the ponies went to their new homes. Lily has fallen in love with Emma’s other pony, Polo, and is happy there. She was also having back pain, and the cold and damp in Ooty seemed to exacerbate it. Her new home in Masinagudi does not get nearly so chilly as Ooty, so she should not have problems with it. Orion’s family is thrilled with him. They have been riding him, and he is doing well. His leg, which had just been reinjured when they took him, is healing up, and they are very pleased to have him.

We now have Hercules, Shadow, and Firefly. Who would have thought a couple of years ago that if we only kept one of our ponies, it would be Hercules? But he is doing very well, and, aside from his driving, is even becoming a good children’s riding pony. We are excited about what the future holds for Leg Up, and for Lily and Orion as they start the next part of their lives.