Mother’s Day came early for Emma Jameson’s mini-horse, Hannah, who gave birth to foal Stormy on April 22nd. It’s a happy new beginning for Hannah. She was a part of a BC SPCA rescue that included 53 animals from an Interior property on March 3. Thirty-six of those animals seized were mini-horses with twenty of them pregnant at the time.
The horses, who range in age from one to 20+ years, were also badly matted and caked in mud, and were suffering from malnourishment, limb and hoof issues, eye problems, dental issues and hair loss due to lice.
Jameson was one of approximately 100 people who applied to adopt the minis. After being told about the mini-horses’ story from a friend, Jameson said it was almost a no-brainer when it came to adopting Hannah. “Almost all our animals are rescues or rehomed and now have a home for life. We are lucky to have acreage and as a vet tech I just felt compelled to help, to try to provide one of the pregnant minis a safe home where they could be loved and cared for,” she says.
The support for the mini-horses was so popular that Leiki Salumet, manager of equine and farm animal care for the BC SPCA, closed the application process after only one day.
Salumets says when it came to selecting the right person for the minis, “We wanted to ensure they received the best care possible and that their homes would be prepared to help them foal out and be able to care for the foals as well once they were born. A lot of the horses needed some work on handling and learning to trust people.”
Jameson says Hannah’s transition was fairly smooth with just a few hiccups along the way.
“Hannah initially had some skin issues, deformed feet that had been very overgrown and she did not like being touched anywhere or having her feet picked up. She would bite, circle and kick when I attempted. She also was very fearful of my son and would run away or turn to kick.”
However, she adds that Hannah is now “making fantastic progress. She is such a trusting little mare, and with quiet and consistent handling she soon realized that being handled and picking up feet wasn’t so bad.” In just one month Hannah’s skin has improved, the biting and kicking has stopped, and she’s also better with Jameson’s son.
“She is a sweet, sassy mare, who knows what she wants,” says Jameson.
As for the birth of Hannah’s foal Stormy, Jameson shares, “He stormed into the world so fast I barely made it to see him being born!” The delivery was a safe one and the foal is healthy as can be.
According to Jameson he has the same sassy big personality as his mama and is “a little buckeroo!”
Now she says many hours are being spent “watching the antics of both of them as Stormy explores new life and learns how to be a horse. They have raised everyone’s spirits in this time of Covid-19 and I am asked multiple times a day from friends and family, if I can send videos and pictures of what they are getting up to, as it just makes everyone’s day.”
Mother’s Day
Celebrate a mum you know (fur-mum or otherwise) by giving the gift of care for one of the many mums in our shelters. You can schedule a custom Mother’s Day E-card or simply give to make sure our hard-working animal moms get all the love and care they deserve.