Join A Sponsored Walk With Haggis The Shetland To Keep The Pounds Off Your Ponies

Haggie and Chloe A pony rescued from horrific neglect in Aberdeenshire will lead a sponsored pony walk in the Scottish Highlands this August to highlight the importance of physical exercise to keep ponies healthy - and help keep laminitis at bay. All ponies with big appetites (and their owners) are invited to take part on Saturday 4th August from 12noon when ponies will be led in hand to the amazingly beautiful ‘Shooting Greens’ near Finzean, Banchory with a stop for a picnic lunch half way around. The sponsored walk is being organised by Haggis’ rehomer Chloe McCutcheon in aid of World Horse Welfare, whose staff rescued, rehabilitated and rehomed Haggis with her last year. “The walk will be hard work as it’s uphill some of the way, but it will all be worth it as we will be able to see the picturesque River Dee and the forest pines. I think Haggis will be very excited about the change of scenery.” Chloe is keen to use the sponsored walk to highlight the importance of weight management especially in ponies like Haggis who are at a higher risk of developing the debilitating foot condition laminitis. “Unfortunately, like all Shetland ponies, Haggis does like his food and for that reason he has to ‘move more’ especially as Shetlands are a high risk category for laminitis. So I decided we are going to ‘move more’ to raise funds for World Horse Welfare and hopefully encourage other ponies to join us and burn some calories.” Haggis is no stranger to laminitis. In July 2010 the seven year-old miniature Shetland was rescued by World Horse Welfare after being discovered with two other ponies on 60 acres of grazing in Aberdeenshire. He was overweight and lame with ‘some of the worst feet World Horse Welfare had ever seen’, described as ‘so long they were like rockers’ preventing him from standing still. Last month the owner was banned for life from keeping horses. Haggis was taken to Belwade Farm Rescue and Rehoming Centre in Aboyne, Aberdeenshire where he was brought back to health, rehabilitated and then rehomed with Chloe. He has lost a lot of weight and has not had another attack of laminitis since. If you would like to sponsor Haggis or would even like to join him for the walk and raise money for World Horse Welfare (maybe you know some other ponies that would like to come too) then contact Chloe McCutcheon at chloe_nobother@ yahoo.co.uk or at 07798 898400 for more details. World Horse Welfare’s ‘Right Weight’ initiative has long raised awareness of the dangers of equine obesity and its consequent risks of laminitis. The charity has recently recruited volunteers for Shetland walking at its Hall Farm Rescue and Rehoming centre in Norfolk to help keep the ponies fit and manage their weight during the summer season of lush grass. Below are photos of Haggis and Chloe, Haggis upon arrival to our Belwade Farm in Aboyne as a rescue case and Haggis after rehabilitation. Please can all photos be credited to World Horse Welfare.

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