Introduction

1 April 2008
One night, I was going through the death-row photos on www.equinsection.com, a heart-wrenching website when suddenly two little black button eyes looked back at me. Well, that was it, I had to save Charlot.

I’d been watching www.equinsection.com for some weeks as I had always wanted a donkey or two at Thordale. Since the resident three goats live in my potential donkey shed, I came to the conclusion that I will have to wait a while for my donks!

So I contacted Debbie, the organiser, to find Charlot was still available and desperately needing a home. After a bit of to-ing and fro-ing with emails, I paid the transporter (Robert Wood of Euro Sports) to fetch him from France and bring him to Aberdeen harbour for the ferry to Lerwick, Shetland. He made the long journey in stages and was put on the passenger ferry in a horsebox with half a bale of hay and a bucket of water to himself.

I have been told that Charlot is very timid but getting braver. He is thin and been through a lot in the last few weeks. On his arrival, our handsome, dashing, balding, stressed and caffeine dependent vet, Jim Tait from Lerwick Veterinary Practice, will give him a check-up and then we’ll put him (the pony, not handsome, dashing, balding, stressed and caffeine dependent Jim!) into a field with last year’s Shetland colts to chill for a while and find his feet.

To date, all we know is:-

Charlot, 4 year old chestnut gelding
Height approximately 1.5m (43 inches)
Microchipped
Is friendly, but nervous

At worst he will be a very expensive lawn-mower. At best, he will drive our beautiful Barry Wheelwright Spindle Back gig at the Royal Highland Show some day!

Wish him luck (and us)!