A Shetland pony has been cured of rickets-like condition, with the help of the World Horse Welfare charity — and a pair of 2-inch plastic shoes.
When Snoopy arrived at World Horse Welfare’s Glenda Spooner Farm in Somerset he was only 3 months old.
Both he and his mother Lucy were emaciated and Snoopy had severe problems with his hind legs. His tendons were so weak that his heels and fetlock joints were almost touching the floor and it looked like he would never be able to walk properly.
But farrier Simon Persse set about trying to help Snoopy walk. He ordered the smallest pair of glue-on shoes with special heel extensions and fitted them on Snoopy, enabling the pony to walk ‘normally’.
Centre manager Janet Dale said: “Three months on and Snoopy and Lucy have both undergone quite a transformation.
“Both have steadily gained weight although we have been very careful to try to ensure that Snoopy doesn’t gain weight too quickly in order to not put additional strain on his limbs.
“The old saying ‘no foot no horse’ could not be more appropriate in Snoopy’s case: he is already a firm favourite with all the staff here and thanks to the knowledge, skill and optimism of our farrier he now has a good chance of a longer and happier future.”
