Just days after I started working at Cart Horse in April 2017, I was invited by the field staff to go along as they were about to confiscate a horse. My fellow fundraiser and I were quite excited at the prospect of being included, but we were not quite prepared for the scene that greeted us. Little Bobby was emaciated and standing in an absolutely filthy backyard, only mere kilometers away from our offices in Epping.
Gut feel and vigilance from Inspector Torey and Trainee EWP Andrea led to the confiscation of Bobby. Six months prior to this, Bobby was seized on the road while working under condition. He was taken to the R&R to recover and his owner had to pay a fine. On his release, his owner was told that if Bobby was found in this condition again, he would lose him for good! Bobby hadn’t been to the clinic for a while and Torey and Andrea decided to do a random home-check. They found Bobby in a terrible state; true to our word, he was permanently confiscated. He was brought to Epping, after having his feet trimmed, he was put in a treatment stall where he ate, and ate and ate then lay down on a thick bed of shavings and had a snooze.
Bobby spent the next 4½ years at the Recovery and Rehabilitation Centre in Gordon’s Baygaining weight and his trust in humans back. We were overjoyed when he was adopted in December, but sadly, the new home didn’t work out Bobby, with that cute face and all, was sent back for bad behaviour! Within three days he had destroyed the fence and let all the sheep out to be chased by dogs. Bobby is back at the R&R, hoping for someone that likes a pony that is full of shenanigans.