Written by International Animal Communicator Jenny Shone
Professional photography by Jacqui L. Photography
Henry’s story took place about eight years ago…
Henry is a miniature mule who lived as a companion to a show jumper. However, he was two years old and had never been handled. All he used to do was accompany the show jumper to shows; he’d travel in the horse box with her and just act as an emotional support mule to the show jumper.
An escape ending in tragedy
Henry was actually quite the escape artist and nothing could keep him in. On one particular day, as they were loading the show jumper and Henry into the horse box, he decided to explore and ducked under the partition of the horse box to run outside. This caused the show jumper to panic and she tried to follow him. In the process of trying to go under the partition she broke her back.
It was extremely sad as they had to euthanise her due to her injury. The owners blamed Henry for this accident, so he was surrendered to the Highveld Horse Care Unit to see if they could find him another home.
This was devastating to Henry as he had a very close bond with the show jumper and now he was being discarded (in his mind).
A few months later, a lady came to see him. He really is very cute, so she adopted him – not quite realising quite what she was taking in, as he’s quite a character and full of attitude.
A few weeks later, Henry ate their washing off the wash-line, so he ended back at the horse care unit.
Falling in love
This is when I saw him and fell in love with this naughty boy.
It took us a few more weeks to prepare a stable for him before we could bring him home. The day he arrived, he stepped out of the horse box and the first horses he saw were Tootsie and Ballinor, my two miniature horses. It was love at first sight for Henry!
The horse he immediately got attached to and followed everywhere was Ballinor. However, we only had Henry for one year when Ballinor crossed over while in the process of having a colic operation. This was extremely traumatic for me as well as for Henry and Tootsie. It took all of us a very long time to get over losing Ballinor, but in the meantime, Henry had developed a very strong bond with Tootsie and still has to this day.
When he gets let out of his stable in the morning, he waits for Tootsie and won’t go down to the paddock until she does; he then follows her and is stuck to her hip all day long.
It took us two years to get him used to having his hooves cleaned and being groomed. Even putting on his fly mask was a huge issue for him.
He’s such a character and has a mind of his own and certainly does keep us busy and entertained.
Our lives – mine and those of the other horses and donkeys – have never been the same since little bossy Henry joined the family, and we wouldn’t have it any other way.
Since he joined the family and became one of the herd, he’s never even tried to get out of any of the paddocks. He’s found his family and just fitted into the herd perfectly.
Henry is a really happy little mischievous boy, and we all love him to bits.
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