Grace’s Story: A Forest Life and a Forever Home
Grace came to our rescue back in 2014. Her previous owner had purchased her to be used as a brood mare, but when they discovered she had dental problems and a condition known as a slipping stifle, they decided they no longer wanted her.
When Grace arrived, her mouth was in terrible condition for such a young pony. She had loose molars, which can be extremely painful and lead to further health complications. Thankfully, with the help of our amazing veterinary partners — Robinsons Equine and Dental and the Equine Dental Clinic — we were able to stabilise her teeth and get her comfortable again.
Tackling the Slipping Stifle
Grace’s second major challenge was her slipping stifle. This condition would sometimes cause her back legs to lock up, leaving her stuck and unable to move. Working closely with our equine vet and physio team, we discovered that the root of the problem was weak muscles in her hindquarters.
The solution? Grace needed to constantly move to build strength — but this had to be done slowly and steadily to prevent injury. This is a difficult task when a horse is confined to a small field.
Luckily, Sarah, who is a New Forest Commoner, has the right to depasture ponies on the New Forest. Grace was bonded with one of Sarah’s forest ponies and turned out to roam freely. The ponies on the forest are constantly on the move, grazing over vast and varied terrain — the perfect environment to help Grace rebuild her strength.
Within just one month, we saw an amazing improvement. After six months, you wouldn’t have even known she had the condition!
A Setback and a Big Decision
We were hopeful that Grace could eventually be rehomed, but when she came back in for her next dental treatment, we decided to keep her in for a month to work with her.
By week three, however, her slipping stifle returned, and it became clear that Grace needs to live the forest life permanently to keep her muscles strong and her body happy.
It was also during this time that we discovered another side of Grace — her cheeky, mischievous Shetland pony personality!
She can be an absolute delight to work with… or, on other days, she chooses what we lovingly call “out-and-out chaos”.
With her unique personality, ongoing dental needs, and the requirement to stay on the forest, we made the decision that Grace would remain a permanent resident with us.
Help Support Grace’s Ongoing Care
Grace requires regular veterinary check-ups, dental work, and close monitoring to ensure she remains healthy and happy.
If you’d like to help us provide the very best care for Grace, please consider making a donation.
Every contribution — big or small — goes directly towards her veterinary treatments, specialist care, and wellbeing.
💛 Click here to donate (link to donation page)
