A Shetland mare who appeared three times at the London International Horse Show, standing supreme in-hand champion, has “left a massive hole in our hearts” after her death aged 35.
Owners Adam and Ally Pike had to make the final call for their beloved Minnie The Moocher, who took the Veteran Horse Society (VHS) supreme title in 2013 aged 24, but whose age had finally caught up with her.
“We always knew she was a pony who wouldn’t make it easy for us!” Adam told H&H. “We had to make the call. She had one last summer with the sun on her back, then we needed to do it. She was a cracking pony and the stable yard feels very empty at the moment.”
Adam and Ally had owned Minnie, thought to be the only Shetland to win at Olympia, for 32 years.
“Ally had a riding accident and the doctors said it would be ideal if she didn’t ride again,” Adam said. “I said why didn’t we get one to drive or something, not thinking she would want to, then the next minute, she turned up with a three-year-old, with a foal at foot.”
Adam said things were not ideal to start with; Minnie was “a bit feral”.“We couldn’t get near her for two days!” he said. “But she soon came round. She could be a proper chestnut mare and play you up but she was always a good pony – a terrific pony.”
Minnie did not excel in the show ring until she was in her late teens, when Adam and Ally found out about the VHS by chance.
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“We happened to be at Arena UK and they had a VHS thing the next day,” Adam said. “We thought we’d have a look, and everyone was having a great time so we sort of fell into it – but all her success was down to [VHS director] Julianne Aston.
“We kept missing out and missing out, then in 2010 and 2011, we got to the finals at Olympia. In 2012, we had a bit of a disastrous year and had a year off, then in 2013 we said we’d have one more go, and she won.
“It was fantastic, to be part of that show; we really felt we’d made the big time. It was terrific, then of course to win, and trot down that centre line, was like winning the pools.”
Adam always led Minnie at shows – he said Ally would enjoy all the preparation but was never able actually to watch Minnie in the ring.
“But of course, she watched that,” he said, of Minnie’s championship lap of honour. “We retired her there and then because she couldn’t have done anything better than that.”
Minnie spent a few years going to some smaller shows – “to make sure she wasn’t bored, as she’d see the lorry going out and think ‘why am I not going?’” – then played mother to some younger ponies, “and bossed them around”.
“She was a fantastic pony,” Adam said. “She was so easy at a show; I never led her in a bit and she was never frightened of anything. We’ve had some ponies who wouldn’t walk through water – but she would have walked through flames for you. She has left a massive hole in our hearts.”
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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.
