Travelling picking up dogs around Ireland, Sylvia sometimes saw animals in desperate need. Little Edith at 5 months old was one of these. She saw her at a travellers site with her coat caked in mud and her face bleeding where her head collar had embedded in her face as she strained against her chain to reach a filthy bucket of water. Sylvia stopped the van and asked the travellers if she needed a home and they just laughed but she left her card. Despite trying to get others involved it appeared no one wanted to upset the travellers. Two weeks passed and a man called and said the pony was his and she could have her if she was picked up that day. So Sylvia managed to find a livery stable who agreed to pick Edith up and keep her until she could get Edith's passport sorted. So the owner of the livery stable went to collect Edith from the travellers and was shocked to find her in a pitiful state and barely standing. Three weeks later Edith arrived at Many Tears, she was still weak, and her poor nose was thread bare and dented where the head collar had worn into her face. Her legs clicked as she walked and her mouth had a deformity called a parrot mouth. She was so weak even after nearly a month of care that handling her was easy. Sylvia asked her granddaughter Syd to name her. She told her this was a rescued unicorn, and that her horn only showed on a full moon night. Syd called her Edith from that day onwards Edith has been spoilt rotten. Today Edith has grown up to be a diva. She is cheeky and has so much self-esteem that even the big horses respect her. She has learnt to pull a small cart and many youngsters of all abilities have enjoyed driving her. |