Polo’s Second Chance
Polo’s second chance 25-year-old thoroughbred cross, Polo, recently arrived at the Sanctuary after we stepped in to help another charity that were struggling to manage his behaviour. Polo was displaying challenging behaviours such as kicking other horses and bolting whilst leading on the road. This led to him having to be kept separate from other horses and being more difficult to manage. The centre therefore made the decision for Polo to come to the Mare and Foal Sanctuary and that working together would be the best for him.
Thankfully, we were able to take him on and he has settled in well to life at the Sanctuary. Polo was in quarantine while he had his full health checks and flu vaccination, but we did not find anything of concern which is very positive.
Our expert Sanctuary Care Team and Equine Behaviour Lead, Anna, have already put plans in place for Polo’s future with us. He is staying at our Beech Trees sanctuary for a little while longer after his quarantine so that we can slowly introduce him to new friends in an environment that he already knows. He was recently carefully introduced to sponsorship horse Athena, and they are getting on well so far. We hope that this will also make a later transition into a new field more comfortable for him. Polo is also only being handled by a couple of grooms, giving him the continuity that he needs to build his trust.
His handler Chelsea said: ‘Polo has settled in well and has very much enjoyed a pamper. He has been so good when grooming and has even fallen asleep whilst being brushed. He can get a little over stimulated when leading in a new environment, but we are making good progress with this already.’
Thanks to your support, Polo is thriving here at the sanctuary where he has the space, time and gentle care that he needs for a bright future. We are so glad that we could offer him a second chance at a happy ending.
At the Mare and Foal Sanctuary, we have over 30 years of experience working with horses and ponies who have been through trauma and have shown signs of challenging behaviour.