Rest In Peace, Rosie

It feels like the end of an era. At the grand age of 32, our dear Shetland Rosie has passed away.

Having lived with us for a staggering 14 years, Rosie was a truly cherished member of our herd. Poor little Rosie, came to us in a shocking state all those years ago with overgrown hooves and suffering from crippling laminitis due to her obesity. Thankfully, she was seized by the RSPCA and brought to us where we could begin her rehabilitation. She’s one of a minority of horses and ponies seized for obesity, as usually owner education works, but sadly not for little Rosie. Ponies who have suffered from laminitis are prone to having ongoing bouts of the condition, especially in the Spring months and therefore Rosie needed careful management and monitoring to ensure that she remained in tip top condition. Luckily, she recovered from her initial case of laminitis and was promptly seen by the farrier to rectify her overgrown hooves, making her much more comfortable all around. Soon after her admission, we also took in Piglet, a very similar coloured Shetland, who was found on a roadside in Buckinghamshire in a very sorry state. After recuperating together here in the idyllic scenery at The Horse Trust, Rosie and Piglet formed a firm friendship which lasted through the years, for much of that time they were inseparable, with the pair living together in our Shetland herd for the majority of their lives.

Rosie was a sweet natured, gentle and amiable pony, often extremely mild mannered, often in and out of love! She certainly liked being the girl of the group, dumping poor old Piglet for a younger model was our own little Shetland soap opera!! In her advancing age, she has suffered with shoulder arthritis which had been managed by our stellar veterinary team with success until recently when our grooms noticed a change in Rosie’s usually happy demeanour. With the decline in her mobility and change in her character, it was decided to put Rosie to sleep and allow her to be at peace without pain.

We know that losing horses is part and parcel of caring for these majestic creatures who have given their all to our communities or suffered great neglect and yet saying goodbye can still be so hard, especially those residents who have become a cornerstone of our daily life, like Rosie had over the past 14 years. They may be gone from our sight but live on in the love and memories we keep with us. Rest in peace you utterly gorgeous and sometimes hilarious girl. Rosie will certainly never be forgotten. HTx