Moon wants his Mommy

Little Moon is the pretty - but naughty - little stallion who came to us last year. He had spent all six years of his life with his mother. She taught him to be respectful of mares and unlike the stud colts that are separated from all other equine contact at weaning, he was socialized in a herd situation. The herd consisted of his mother and himself.

He has been gelded (thank GOD)! He has settled in well with our group and is turned out next to Butterfly and another mare in adjoining areas. He’s not good with the other boys yet but that’s okay. He probably won’t ever be a child’s pony either! He has a beautiful little peach ice cream colored face with huge dark rimmed eyes – eyes that tell it all. He is often very agitated, almost frantic. He thumps around in his stall until I can barely stand him.

One day I went over and put my arm around his neck. I made myself be calm and I asked him, “What is it Moon-Muffin? What is it you want?” He leaned into me and put his nose so gently into my hands. I felt the most profound feelings of sorrow, a longing and sadness that made me cry. Translated loosely from horse to human, he wanted his mommy. I felt him become calm. The tension left him and he relaxed against me. I know somehow we had just communicated and he was at peace.

Knowing how Nessa grieved for her daughter for ten long years, I’m aware that permanent bonds are formed between mother and child when they spend years together. If Moon wanted his mommy, so be it. I promised we would get her. The only problem: Mommy was on Martha’s Vineyard and also as wild as a deer.

Laurie is the founder of Vineyard Miniature Horse Rescue where Cocoa, Moon’s mom, lived. Laurie is another woman running a rescue entirely on her own and is both very busy and under funded. She and nine of her friends took three hours to corner Cocoa and get her into a trailer. In the process one friend was kicked and another dragged over the fence when Cocoa jumped it. No doubt Cocoa was not as excited about seeing her son again as he was about seeing her!

After an uneventful trailer ride Cocoa arrived at Eye of the Storm. Moon was so happy to see his mommy again! They immediately began to groom each other. Cocoa has a grubby lead rope attached to her halter as she is still difficult to catch (what an understatement). But they are together again, that’s all that matters, forever.