Retired racehorse Ronniejo Hanover made headlines this winter when she survived an icy plunge into an underground water tank.
The 25-year-old mare escaped from her paddock, broke through a plywood cover, and fell through a two-and-a-half foot square hole into icy water. Submerged up to her neck, only her head two front hooves and were sticking out.
Luckily, some creative Centre Wellington Township firefighters used rescue techniques usually reserved for saving people from Elora Gorge to lift Ronniejo to safety.
Steve and Mary Jane Skarda own the farm where Ronniejo has lived for the last year. They found her on that chilly January afternoon and witnessed her miraculous rescue. Steve Skarda said he thought it was hopeless at first, but he and Mary Jane were not about to let the horse suffer such a tragic end.
“For this to happen to this sweet old girl, I just didn’t want her to go that way,” recalled Mary Jane Skarda.
She stayed by the horse’s side for hours while the firefighters worked to free her. When Ronniejo was finally carried to the barn, using a front end loader, Mary Jane Skarda used hot towels and a hairdryer to warm up the mare as much as possible.
Unsure if she would recover, the Skardas were delighted when Ronniejo came back on her feet the next morning. She bounced back and has been enjoying life ever since.
Stuart and Pat Bolender, Ronniejo’s owners, were also elated that her ordeal had a happy ending.
They own Middlebrook Farm, where they raise and race Standardbreds. Their fondest memories of Ronniejo revolve around her gentle nature and her many talented babies.
“She is very sweet,” said Pat. “Most racehorses are, since they’ve had so much attention since they were born, but she was particularly friendly.
“My favourite memories of her are the colts that she had that went on to be quite successful,” said Stuart Bolender. “She was the first broodmare I ever had, and she had such good offspring. She was a great contribution to the business.”
When the mare grew too old to breed, the Bolender’s wanted to find a good home where Ronniejo and her best friend, Westgate Dancer, could enjoy their retirement.
“They’re good to you – so you try to be good to them,” said Stuart Bolender.
“We talked to Mary Jane because she was looking for a couple horses,” said Pat Bolender. “I said that I wanted to find a good home that is close by so I can see them.”
Mary Jane Skarda loved the idea, and welcomed Ronniejo and Westgate Dancer to her farm, which is just around the corner from the Bolender’s farm.
“They’ve been here a little over a year. Stuart pays for their hay, their blacksmithing, and their vetting. He just wanted them to go someplace where they would be well looked after,” she said.
The horses joined the Skarda’s small herd, which had already included a Thoroughbred named Madison and two ponies named Jenny and Bandit.
All in their later years of life, they enjoy a peaceful lifestyle on the Skardas’ property.
Mary Jane Skarda said Ronniejo seems to be completely over her accident and is enjoying simple pleasures of spending sunny spring days in the paddock with her pals.
