A one-eyed pony has been rehomed by his long-time handler at a Devon charity after the two developed such a strong bond she couldn’t bear to be parted from him.
Georgie Moore, a member of the horse care team at the Mare and Foal Sanctuary, has been looking after Geronimo for the last three and a half years and has transformed the 17-year-old skewbald moorland gelding from a withdrawn pony to a much more confident animal.
Geronimo first arrived at the Sanctuary in 2018 as part of a merger with another equine charity. A year later he needed his left eye removed due to ongoing problems. After surgery and recovery at the Sanctuary’s Beech Trees Veterinary and Welfare Assessment Centre in Newton Abbot, he moved to the charity’s Coombe Park yard in Totnes.
Clicker training
When Georgie first started looking after Geronimo she noticed he was shy and timid so she began clicker training to help develop his confidence and make him feel safe.
“It started off with just target training in the stable, and that grew into taking him into the arena, and he learned to touch a target with his nose,” explained Georgie.
“We moved on to cones, then he learned to knock the cones down. Then he learned to push a ball round, so we thought, let’s take it a bit further. He started doing turns and to bow.
“In the arena he would just follow me around and as we started learning new things, it elevated his confidence so much. I’d go into the barn and call for him, and he would make lots of noise and get really excited, and we’d do our routine.
‘Favourite part of the day’
“It was his favourite part of the day, and it was mine too because it really grew his confidence. He went from being one of the most timid ponies in the yard to the most vocal in the barn. Day by day we developed this wonderful bond.”
As their partnership developed, Georgie realised she wanted to give him a forever home so in November Geronimo made the short journey from Coombe Park to Georgie’s base.
“As I developed this special bond with Geromimo, I just knew that I didn’t want to live without him,” said Georgie.
“I already have rehomed ponies Robin and Willis at home with me. Robin’s got just one eye as well, so they have the same needs, the same grazing requirements,” said Georgie.
New chapter
“Geronimo’s settling in really well. Obviously, it was a big change for him, but he was great. He went straight out into the field with the boys the other side of the fence, and he got settled and was trotting around, seeming really excited,” said Georgie.
“The three ponies have merged now and they’re getting on really well. They’re grazing next to each other, and he seems really, really happy so that makes me very happy.”
Sponsorship pony
Although Geronimo has retired from day‑to‑day life at Coombe Park, he will continue as a Sponsorship Pony, becoming the first to pilot the charity’s new Sponsorship Pony Loan Scheme.
Supporters who sponsor Geronimo will now have the joy of knowing they are helping to fund his lifelong care in a home filled with love, alongside two other rescued ponies and a carer who adores them.
Click here to find out more about The Mare and Foal Sanctuary’s Sponsorship scheme.
Images © The Mare and Foal Sanctuary.
