Mooni and Benny
Opposites - as they say - attract. "Mooni", the bitchy, somewhat stocky 27-year-old Haflinger mare who was used as a school horse in her former life, had already found her place in the large herd at the Ballermann Ranch in Lower Saxony, when the pony gelding "Benny", also 27, moved into his single stall.
Benny had lost his home when his owner died at the age of only 59 as a result of a muscular disorder. Suddenly and unexpectedly, Benny was alone. When Gut Aiderbichl heard Benny's cry for help and a place on the Ballermann Ranch with Annette and André Engelhardt could just be freed up, Dieter Ehrengruber, Chairman of the Gut Aiderbichl Foundation, was determined to reward Benny's loyalty, who had always accompanied his disabled owner lovingly and safely through her serious illness. Benny was allowed to become part of our family.
When they first met in the spacious paddocks, Mooni was not at all taken with the pampered grey pony at first. Besides, she already had enough other admirers from the herd. But Benny did not give up.
When Moonlight suddenly fell ill after a few months and was prescribed box rest by the doctor, Benny once again proved his unbreakable loyalty to those he had taken to his heart. No, Mooni should not stay alone in the stable. Then he stays too - full stop. Benny simply refused to go out to pasture with the others as long as Mooni didn't come along.
The volunteer manager of the Ballermann Ranch, Annette Engelhardt, then decided to put both of them together for the duration of the morning stable work. Benny did not leave Mooni's side when she was feeling better and could at least go out to the paddock. Nothing was to change in this respect. Today they live inseparably together in a big box - always side by side.
A beautiful story that proves that the miracle of love finds its way to happiness even in old horse age.
