Sad ending to a pony ‘tale’
He was part of a herd at the Ruimsig-based centre that assisted disabled children with therapy sessions.
The death of Dickie, a reliable, charismatic and loving children’s pony, has left a huge void at the Earth Centre in Ruimsig. The Shetland pony lost his battle with a disease associated with old age which his old body could no longer bear this past weekend.
He was in his late 30s, a ripe old age for a pony given a healthy and good life.
He was part of a herd at the Ruimsig-based centre that assisted children with disabilities with therapy sessions.
Natalie Stobäus, operations and equine manager, who was close to Dickie reminisced about the good times she had with him. “He had a very solid and steadfast nature, making him an anchor for the rest of the herd and for the type of work he did. Because of his strength of character and his streetwise manner of living, he was always reliable with our small children, especially those that were nervous,” she recalled.
Also Read:
https://roodepoortnorthsider.co.za/289155/earth-centre-urgently-needs-volunteers/
Natalie added that Dickie’s uniquely small body worked to the advantage of smaller riders. “He was a very small Shetland pony who worked with our smaller Cerebral Palsied riders, as well as those with Autism, Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). His character also made him a pony that could really hold children with severe emotional distress, and give them a place of ease. You could visibly see a child settle in his very grounded, strong presence as he carried them. His long and choppy stride was great sensory input for the children with physical disabilities, enabling them to release tight muscles and build their core,” she said, admitting that Dickie’s death has left an enormous void, especially for the very small children.
Nicole Ras, the Centre’s Marketing Manager, reflected on the overwhelming response they received after posting about Dickie’s death on social media. “We have been overwhelmed by the response to the Facebook post we put out informing everyone. A number of volunteers, riders and parents of children who have ridden with us have commented with their affectionate memories of Dickie,” she said.
His death also touched Caroline Heyes, who founded the organisation many years ago. She commented, “So sad to hear this news. Dick Tracy was a very special boy, a great character and an escape artist of note! I know he holds a special place in many hearts, mine being one”.
Nicole concluded by appealing for funds that they will use to look after the horses, so that they can continue doing their job. “Horses like Dickie need to be funded to enable us to continue our work in the disabled community,” she said.
For more details, contact the Earth Centre by visiting https://www.earthcentre.org.za, emailing info@earthcentre.org.za or calling 011 958 5044.
Do you perhaps have more information pertaining to this story? Email us at northside@caxton.co.za (remember to include your contact details) or phone us on 011 955 1130.
For free daily local news on the West Rand, also visit our sister newspaper websites
