Sugar and Spice… and Everything Nice

This Valentine’s Day, Horses and Ponies Protection Association (HAPPA) is asking you to show two frightened rescue ponies just how much love can change a life.

Thanks to HAPPA’s intervention, the two ponies, which have been named Sugar and Spice, have been given a Second Chance at happiness after a heartbreaking start. The young fillies arrived at HAPPA’s Shores Hey Farm in Burnley, unhandled and under veterinary sedation. Once safely herded into a stable, they were given time and space to settle in their new surroundings after an understandably traumatic journey.

In those first days, trust was hard to come by. Neither pony showed interest in food, and both were wary of human contact. Slowly, with patience, kindness and gentle handling, HAPPA’s Equine Care team began to break down those barriers. Before long Sugar and Spice allowed headcollars to be fitted and a full veterinary health check was carried out.

Blood tests revealed that, heartbreakingly, both fillies could already be in foal at just two years old. Sugar is believed to be over one hundred days into her pregnancy, while Spice is still in the early stages and will require further tests and monitoring.

Nicole Simpson, Equine Care Supervisor at HAPPA, said:

“Sugar is a two-year-old skewbald filly who has settled in well and is already forming a bond with the yard team. She has a sweet nature and an inquisitive personality, and with time we’re confident her trust will continue to grow.

Spice is a two-year-old chestnut filly who is much more nervous, but she is slowly coming around. We’ve begun to build trust with her in the stable, and we truly believe that, in time, she will learn to trust again.”

“It never fails to amaze me how ponies who have been through so much are still capable of loving again,” Nicole added. “It breaks our hearts to see frightened, broken ponies arrive at the Rescue Centre, but watching the light return to their eyes is incredibly special. We’re so excited to see what the future holds for Sugar and Spice, it really will be everything nice from now on.”

This winter, HAPPA is appealing for vital funds to help care for hundreds of horses and ponies like Sugar and Spice, found abandoned, frightened and alone. Your kindness and compassion can help bring hope, healing and love back into their lives.

This Valentine’s Day, show your care. A donation really can make all the difference.

Donate now: www.happa.org.uk/donate/