Two ponies who were separated for five years were overjoyed to be reunited and are now “joined at the hip” once more.
Blue Cross ponies Treacle and Candy are living together with Joanna Robins, in Oxfordshire, “like they’d never been apart”.
The two bay mares were taken in by the charity as part of a large “welfare-compromised” herd in 2011. They were rehomed together for five years but a change in their borrower’s circumstances meant both were returned to the Blue Cross, and they were then rehomed separately.
“Fast-forward another five years and Treacle was once again returned to Blue Cross,” said Lauren Bush, horse rehoming coordinator at Blue Cross in Burford.
“Candy’s owner Joanna Robins spotted Treacle on the rehoming page of our website and got in touch straight away. We were thrilled to reunite this pair and they very much remembered each other, which made it even more special.”
“I always keep half an eye on the Blue Cross website in case a pony crops up that I can’t refuse!” she said.
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“I was amazed when I found Treacle on the rehoming page. I had initially met her when I went to collect Candy five years ago — at the time she was going out to a new home. I instantly recognised her on the page as she is so like Candy. It didn’t take long to decide that she had to come and live with us; she and Candy had lived together as a pair for five years and always been in the same herd, so I was sure it was the right thing to do!”
After the usual checks, Treacle went to her new home.
“I was slightly nervous that they wouldn’t remember each other, so decided to introduce them initially with a fence between them,” Joanna said.
“I needn’t have worried. Candy was so excited to see Treacle, she just couldn’t contain herself! She tore around the field, just stopping occasionally to have a sniff before she took off again. I quickly decided they were fine to put in together, and their joy at being reunited was just lovely to see.
“They followed each other around, so excited to be back together. There was a little bit of herd placement that took place because of Bubbles, but it soon settled down. Treacle and Candy are now living their best life, totally joined at the hip and sharing their hay, like they’ve never been apart.”
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Eleanor is an experienced journalist who spent over eight years working for local and national newspapers before joining H&H as news editor in March 2016. Passionate about equine welfare and exposing the truth, Eleanor has reported on all aspects of the industry, from Brexit to anti-bullying campaigns, and from dressage rules to mules. Her sport of choice is showjumping, in which she competes her own horses, and she also enjoys reporting at local jumping shows through to international championships.
