Good News

Hanora we adore you

admin Germany, Good News, Uncategorized

Hanora writes her final HHO Chapter 

Hello Everyone,

Some of you may remember me from some years back and will be very familiar with my story. Others will be newer followers so we’ll take a little walk down memory lane for a few moments. For those of you who don’t know me my name is Hanora. I met the ladies and gentlemen at HHO over 3 years ago now. On one August morning that turned my life around. I was once abused, neglected and unwanted.

A makeshift halter embedded in my nose I could scarcely remember a day without it. It sat there sinking in to my skin for years so much so it completely deformed my face and it was massively infected, I could smell it. Maggots festered inside my open wounds and at times I thought I had died and gone straight to hell. The constant agony, the constant reminder I was worthless, my so called owner did not even have the decency to try and remove this halter. I was suffering so visibly for years.

 

 

But then I met the HHO team, to this day I still see the sympathy in their eyes, I remember the tears and the nights they sat up talking to me, uttering apologies that they didn’t find me sooner. The worst thing is I know they were trying to help me but at times treating my injuries was sometimes a little sore or stingy and at times I ran away from them only to give in eventually.

For the first time in so long humans treated me with respect, they gave me my dignity back, I could eat again, I could enjoy life with no worries. I soon settled in to my life at HHO, it was security, comforting and I always got the special treatment. I suppose a little like a VIP. They’d say things like ‘Ah it’s Hanora, she’s an old lady, she can do what she likes’ or ‘ah it’s Hanora of course, if she wants the sweetest grass (the lawn) she can have it’ or my personal favorite ‘ah Hanora doesn’t have to do anything just be Happy’ I took this last one to heart and I enjoyed every second of my life. I especially liked the times I chose to be happy by galloping around the fields like a race horse in the lashing rain while the poor clowns stood watching me and calling me, I can still hear it ‘ah Hanora would you not just come in’. Between you and me it’s the little things that count and I always knew they would wait for me. I’d never be forgotten again.

 

 

So a little time past and they told me at HHO they found a very special foster home, maybe even one I could live out my days in, being just that little bit older. I was happy there, the endless supply of carrots and apples kept me ticking over nicely. But sadly to finish my life there wasn’t to be. My foster mother was quite elderly too and sadly she could no longer look after me so I came home. Home to HHO and it was settled I would retire there, I’d hang out with the oldies and sure we’d kick up our heels and we’d always have a roof over our little grey heads. You’ll never believe what happened next?? I got a permanent home offer. One I can actually live out my days in, a family of my own. I can do as I please as I have grown so fond of doing. I’m a pensioner I don’t have to please anyone.

I left HHO today and as I walked to the horse lorry I could see their faces a mix of disbelief, pride and sadness. Their old lady leaving them. I think I even saw a tear or two (this isn’t fully confirmed) but I definitely heard ‘i can’t believe this’ repeatedly spoken.

So I make my final trip to what I can finally call my home, in Germany if you don’t mind! The vet said I’m very well and healthy and when I saw that ramp I jumped on it like a pony half my age, gosh I was delighted with myself and of course sure they had to tell the big Hanora story to the driver and anyone else that would listen. Finally my happy ending has come. I can tell those who I left behind are nervous and excited and will be on tender hooks until they hear I’m home safely. It’s nice to be loved and it’s nice to know at least some people will miss me.

Tonight as a whole new chapter begins for me, I take a little bit of HHO with me in my heart and I know I leave a huge chunk of Hanora in all the hearts of the people at HHO, I know they’ll be watching and I know they’ll continue to walk my journey with me.

Goodbye to you all, I’ll send you an update or two from my awesome new home with little Annie (sure she’s nearly as old as me), we’re a bit excited.

Love Hanora

 

 

Goodbye our dear friend we’ll never ever ever forget you, you have brought light even on the darkest days. We’ll be missing you but we’re so proud and so happy for you our little dear. We’ll see you soon and safe travels – HHO

From little acorns

admin Before and After, Equine Welfare Progress, Germany, Good News, Rehoming, Rescue

It doesn’t seem so long ago we were reporting about a little 6 week old foal being thrown over our wall. So fragile and small, needing round the clock care and his little body battered and bruised from the impact.

It’s hard to believe that over a year has passed and our little Maple has blossomed in to a stunning young man, full of happiness and confidence. Loving each day of his life. Maple immediately captured all our hearts at HHO, he was the little one who no matter how your day was brought a smile to our faces.When Maple recovered and was strong enough he was offered for adoption and his perfect family found him.
Maple left us just over 3 weeks ago and we think you’ll agree he seems to have found his hooves with Isabel and her family in Germany. 

We’re so proud of how far he has come and we look forward to watching him develop over the coming years. Every late night and bottle feed was worth it.

 

Not every Bambi story is a sad one

admin Before and After, Good News, Rehoming, Rescue
Bambi

Baby Bambi came to us this time 2 years ago, one would be forgiven for thinking her chances were minimal. Only two months old and no sign of her mother, we can only surmise as to what happened her, a big pot belly, unsteady on her little hooves, crawling with lice, absolutely covered in rain rash. We set to work but the expectations were low.

Volunteers at HHO became her mammy, they took turns staying with her night after night, the endless rounds of milk, functioning on only a few hours of sleep a night and starting it again the next day, knowing 150 other horses were relying on us. 

Bambi for some reason muddled through, that is literally the only way to describe it, she neither made progress or went backwards, so we persevered and persevered and persevered some more, although her appearance didn’t make any drastic improvements she was a happy little soul, always meeting us with a cheerful neigh, we often wondered how she even had the energy to be so sweet. At this point she loved her foal feed, she loved to have her sneaky foal milk, she just loved to eat! Yet still no drastic difference.

 Summer came and Bambi began to grow. she was independent enough to go out with all the other foals at this point, suddenly, she started to blossom albeit only a small bit but we could see a change, and with change came a chance, a chance to really hope, that summer passed and it was time for the foals to come back inside, one night Bambi had no neigh for us, she didn’t want her beloved food, she lay on the straw not moving and for the life of us we couldn’t figure out what was wrong, thus began the Bambi vigil again, we were sure this was the end of the line for Bambi and we were devastated, a vet even confirmed the same when suddenly she got up went over to her hay and started eating.

 Well from that night on, she never looked back, within 6 months she was strong enough to be put up for adoption, Bambi was so lucky to be adopted by a wonderful lady from Luxembourg with her two best friends, Bambi’s friends, the two who were with her all along, who stayed with her on the days she did not feel so well, who kept us company when we sat with her on all those long nights.
Wasn’t every second of worry worth it, when you see her today? Happy, healthy and absolutely beautiful! It’s what it is all about!

Where one thing falls another grows. maybe not what was there before, but something new and wonderful all the same. – Bambi

Just Foaling around

admin Equine Welfare Progress, Good News, Media , ,

Fun and Frolics for the HHO Mares and Foals.

What more could you possibly ask for our own little beauties, happy, healthy and ready to move on to their next chapter in life?

To watch them in action now and to recall their stories only a few short months ago, it is difficult to imagine they were once cast aside like rubbish, rejected by their so called owners and left to die. We can’t even describe how wonderful it is to watch them just have fun. The little foals will never know the misery their mothers endured. We’re so in love with them all

Saidies Sinister story

admin Bad News, Before and After, Cruelty Case, Germany, Good News, Rehoming, Rescue
Some weren’t as lucky as Saidie
Saidie arriving at the HHO yard

    

It is only really when you look back on their rescues, you appreciate how far they have come.

When HHO was called to a horrendous scene last year, we were met with carcass upon carcass. A field of horses absolutely famished with hunger, but we were to unearth something even more sinister upon inspection. A shed full of ponies starving to death, no sign of food or water, no light just days spent locked inside a dark shed with no contact of any kind. Of course each one of them were loaded up and brought home, 18 horses in total. 

One of whom was a little chestnut mare we named Saidie. Not only was Saidie starved with in a fraction of her life, we soon discovered she had other problems, an old neck injury which caused her whole head to tilt to one side. Upon examination it was deemed it would never be fixed but caused her no distress and she would lead a normal life, although she would look unusual, we quietly accepted it and set about her rehabilitation. 

Saidie and her comrades received all the treatment they needed but she herself never seemed to gain ground. Even after months of good food, good worming and good care she looked almost the same as she did on the day she came in. We persevered, as did Saidie. What seemed like a life time later Saidie suddenly started to look and feel better, a feeling she may not have ever felt in her lifetime. 

Seeing Saidie galloping, her head tilted to one side yet still bucking and playing, so happy to be alive. It was heart warming, something we never thought we’d see. Saidie settled in to life at HHO, we even moved her for the summer to our permanent residents never thinking she would be re homed, an air of acceptance that she was part of the long term herd, with that she suddenly began thriving. 

Then completely out of the blue one of our previous adopters got in touch , inquiring about our saidie, we explained her problems both past and present but there was no deterring this wonderful family. She was to be their special girl. As we loaded Saidie last Thursday a mix of joy and overwhelming emotion rushed over us. She walked to the lorry like a pro (head still twisted to one side) and up she jumped, one last look at us and she was gone. Off to her new life. 

We waited anxiously for news, then early Saturday morning we received it. Saidie was home, she had finally arrived at her forever home and her family are thrilled with this special girl. Saidie’s story gives us hope for everyone. Saidie will now have the life we could never give her, a life we could only dream of. Good luck Saidie, as always it has been a pleasure, we wish you all the best in life.

much love, all at the HHO.

 

This is Saidie enjoying life to the full in Germany with her wonderful new owner & best friend Elvira 

Whats up Roger?

admin Germany, Good News, Rehoming, Rescue

Hi guys my name is HHO Roger.

” When HHO met me in May of 2015 i  didn’t have much going for me, I was abandoned at the hands of people who should have cared for me, frightened, alone and weak from hunger and thirst. Like all our ponies here at HHO I underwent rehabilitation and waited, and waited and waited for someone to fall in love with me. They loved me at HHO but seeing my little face just waiting for a family to come along was heart wrenching.”

 

Roger the day he arrived on the HHO yard

 

“Just when they thought i would be joining their permanent herd my day came, a little girl in Germany and her mother fell head over heals in love me, the HHO’s remarkable little fighter.
As you can see my life is a little different now, the world is now at my hooves, I am best friend to a little girl here in Germany, my forever home. ”

we’re delighted we have had another beautiful ending for yet another one of Ireland’s unwanted ponies.
We think he looks just fabulous, what would you say? 

 

He just loves his new best friend

 

Wonderful Surprise

admin Good News

A beautiful surprise in the post yesterday. Many thanks to Isabelle who so thoughtfully sent a box of gifts for the HHO horses all the way from Switzerland.
Not only do kind gestures like this benefit the horses, but it gives us people a great boost. It makes us stronger to know we have kindred spirits out there and helps us keep fighting for Ireland’s forgotten animals.

Thank you to everyone from the bottoms of our heat for all your support, we could not do it without you.

A Happy ending for Sky and Dover

admin Germany, Good News, Rehoming

A Happy Ending for Sky and Drover
Sky and Drover seemed to be with us forever, on and off since they were both babies. The two of them had been placed in homes in Ireland but for some reason or another had to come back to us.
Months passed and no one even batted an eyelid at our boys. Two, very sweet and kind little men. We had resigned ourselves that the boys would stay with us forever but our hearts ached to give them a family of their own.

Out of the blue we were contacted by a lovely lady who had seen our boys and instantly she fell in love and thus began their beautiful new life. When they left us we were overwhelmed by emotions, seeing our little boys driving away to cross Europe to meet their new family. Nerves set in and we waited here for news of their arrival.
Our worries vanished the minute they arrived, their family eagerly waiting for them and instantly their new life began, loved, spoiled cherished. It is everything we ever dreamed of and more. After spending much of their lives at HHO their day finally came. We’re so proud of our little men and we’re blessed that so many of our adopters continue to share their story with us.
Here they are in their home, another wonderful success story. We’ll be watching little men!