Baby Thor is all Grown Up!

At the Tinnis Trust, we have the privilege of being able to help horses transition through tough times in life. Sometimes, that means a dignified end or a peaceful retirement. Other times you're lucky enough to have one of those moments when a horse with a troubled start ends up doing something amazing. This week, Thor gave us one of those moments.

When Thor was just a few months old, he was abandoned in a South Wales supermarket carpark with his brother Loki. He was tiny, terrified and sick with a respiratory infection. He was so afraid of people that he hid behind Loki all the time and would not let anyone near him. It took hours of our staff, volunteers' and lovely hoof trimmer's time to simply sit with him, feeding him and gaining his trust. For the first few years of his life, we gave Thor time to be a baby, living in a herd of other youngsters with nanny mares for company and Loki never far from his side. He was regularly handled but remained worried and shy. There were times when we weren't sure he would ever be able to be anything other than a companion as he found any kind of training overwhelming.

Eventually, though, Thor began to develop a nature to match his brave name. Clicker training helped him to blossom, rewarding him when he made the right choice and helping him not to worry about any mistakes he might make along the way. When he was backed, he took to work under saddle as if he was born for it. He will soon begin his training to become a therapeutic riding horse. Not bad for a little pony who was once left in a carpark!