RuthnMeg
Well-Known Member
At 10.25am today, a single shot marked the end of an era. Within the minute that followed 2 swans flew over head, followed by a single jet aircraft. Even Juno had her own flypast!
Our family was very blessed to have owned and cared for Juno since July 1991 when she first entered our lives. My late grandmother had heard about a dun 14.2hh pony for sale, who was born on the cliffs above Swanage. She had a nasty scar from getting staked on a bonfire but was honest, kind and would suit my brother as he was outgrowing his dun 13.2hh. When we went to see her, she was smaller than 14.2hh but we couldn't walk away. Juno skipped in her walk, jogged in her trot and did some sort of disunited hoppy canter, but we had her anyway. She whizzed where ever she went and firstly my brother thought it was fun, then it was my turn. It took me about 3 weeks to 'get' the rising trot, I must of looked silly, and Juno probably thought I was a total numpty! After that I loved her for it, knew we couldn't change it no matter how much schooling we could do. She jumped well, and I always was smiling when I rode her. We took her hunting, did all the RC activities including camp 3 times, and did hunter trials and ode's. I fell off her a few times, simply due to her being speedy, and me being left behind. The occassional fly buck also made me hit the deck, and I always saw dust as she pissed off!! At 'swap pony times' others who tried (and failed) to ride her always concluded that she was best left to me. And due to that, I got respect!! Dressage was a laugh too!!
In May 1995 we sold her. It seemed a good idea at the time, my brother had a TB, and with him going onto uni, I was going to take over the ride. We thought we had found Juno a perfect home with a lightwieght adullt who wanted to do long distance riding. We later found out that within 6 months Juno had had a nasty accident, was close to being distroyed but was sold on instead. For the next 3 years this seemed to be the norm for the pony. She ended up in the PC and with a reputation for being dangerous. At one point she was loaded onto a lorry destined for Potters. A kind family rescued her from that fate, and formed a happy bond. This couldn't last long due to their personal situation, and by this time we had tracked her down and offered to have her back. Within days she was back, at the farm and acted like she had never been away.
Since she has been back, we have hunted her again, I have ridden her round a 2'3'' xc, just for pure fun and we loved being a partnership again. My mum took her to several endurance rides too. One day, on the way back from an early morning cub hunting, she mis-stepped in a dry puddle. She broke down, so was rested for 18 months. It didn't matter, she was a brilliant companion and loved the fuss and didn't appear to miss the riding as it settled her a bit. My daughter then rode her at the grand age of 2 years, and Juno was a saint - albeit just in walk, on a lead rein around our field! Some time later, she whizzed too much in the field, and broke down on her other front leg. Her own doing. It was at this point, she was retired fully.
Over her time with us, she has seen so many of her friends come and go, been a fantastic companion, and simply an awsume pony to have known. She has once tried to nurse a lost lamb, looked after my daughter on her back and more recently loved having her own 'baby' in the form of Penny. Juno was a tad confused when Penny tried to suckle her at first meeting!!
The last 2 winters have been harsh for her, she had aged quickly and arthritis was setting in. Her previous nasty accidents had caught up with her too, and over the last week, the look we got we knew it was time. I am sad that she went with sore legs due to a mud fever type infection, but time to cure it we didn't have.
So, to Juno, the pony who re-wrote the rule book and was simply, one in a million.
My brother;
Me;
(don't know what happened to my hat!);
Going to miss her like mad, but she really did go when she wanted to, for that I am happy.
Our family was very blessed to have owned and cared for Juno since July 1991 when she first entered our lives. My late grandmother had heard about a dun 14.2hh pony for sale, who was born on the cliffs above Swanage. She had a nasty scar from getting staked on a bonfire but was honest, kind and would suit my brother as he was outgrowing his dun 13.2hh. When we went to see her, she was smaller than 14.2hh but we couldn't walk away. Juno skipped in her walk, jogged in her trot and did some sort of disunited hoppy canter, but we had her anyway. She whizzed where ever she went and firstly my brother thought it was fun, then it was my turn. It took me about 3 weeks to 'get' the rising trot, I must of looked silly, and Juno probably thought I was a total numpty! After that I loved her for it, knew we couldn't change it no matter how much schooling we could do. She jumped well, and I always was smiling when I rode her. We took her hunting, did all the RC activities including camp 3 times, and did hunter trials and ode's. I fell off her a few times, simply due to her being speedy, and me being left behind. The occassional fly buck also made me hit the deck, and I always saw dust as she pissed off!! At 'swap pony times' others who tried (and failed) to ride her always concluded that she was best left to me. And due to that, I got respect!! Dressage was a laugh too!!
In May 1995 we sold her. It seemed a good idea at the time, my brother had a TB, and with him going onto uni, I was going to take over the ride. We thought we had found Juno a perfect home with a lightwieght adullt who wanted to do long distance riding. We later found out that within 6 months Juno had had a nasty accident, was close to being distroyed but was sold on instead. For the next 3 years this seemed to be the norm for the pony. She ended up in the PC and with a reputation for being dangerous. At one point she was loaded onto a lorry destined for Potters. A kind family rescued her from that fate, and formed a happy bond. This couldn't last long due to their personal situation, and by this time we had tracked her down and offered to have her back. Within days she was back, at the farm and acted like she had never been away.
Since she has been back, we have hunted her again, I have ridden her round a 2'3'' xc, just for pure fun and we loved being a partnership again. My mum took her to several endurance rides too. One day, on the way back from an early morning cub hunting, she mis-stepped in a dry puddle. She broke down, so was rested for 18 months. It didn't matter, she was a brilliant companion and loved the fuss and didn't appear to miss the riding as it settled her a bit. My daughter then rode her at the grand age of 2 years, and Juno was a saint - albeit just in walk, on a lead rein around our field! Some time later, she whizzed too much in the field, and broke down on her other front leg. Her own doing. It was at this point, she was retired fully.
Over her time with us, she has seen so many of her friends come and go, been a fantastic companion, and simply an awsume pony to have known. She has once tried to nurse a lost lamb, looked after my daughter on her back and more recently loved having her own 'baby' in the form of Penny. Juno was a tad confused when Penny tried to suckle her at first meeting!!
The last 2 winters have been harsh for her, she had aged quickly and arthritis was setting in. Her previous nasty accidents had caught up with her too, and over the last week, the look we got we knew it was time. I am sad that she went with sore legs due to a mud fever type infection, but time to cure it we didn't have.
So, to Juno, the pony who re-wrote the rule book and was simply, one in a million.
My brother;
Me;
(don't know what happened to my hat!);
Going to miss her like mad, but she really did go when she wanted to, for that I am happy.
huge hugs.
