When Karen Inkster first set eyes on Miss Mop, the omens were not good. The 30-year-old donkey was feral, underweight, neglected and had no intentions of coming quietly.
She had been living on an Orkney island with her elderly owner, who had dementia. Attempts had been made to find her a home. But nobody wanted an ancient donkey with a litany of health complaints. And so she was due to be put to sleep last spring.
Karen saw something in her that the others hadn’t though.
She caught her, after two days of trying, packed her into her horsebox and brought her home to her equestrian centre near Dunkeld.
It was to be the beginning of a short but very sweet relationship.
Miss Mop thrived under Karen’s care and became the star of the stables, enjoying a happy, comfortable retirement before her death just before Christmas last year.
And now Karen is working to ensure her legacy lives on.
Miss Mop’s legacy will live on
She is holding a fundraising open day in Miss Mop’s memory this Sunday.
The event will collect donations to support people who want to take on sick and ageing rescue animals but are put off by the increased costs that come with them.
“I spent about £2,000 on Miss Mop,” said Karen.
“She was seriously underweight. She had never had her teeth done in 30 years. Her feet were in a terrible state. And her hair was all matted and sore.”
She added: “We found out she had Cushing’s disease too. And she was doing well, putting on weight and running around the field, before she went down in her stable two days before Christmas and couldn’t get up. We think it was her heart.
“She was worth every penny. But I know the expense is what puts a lot of people off rehoming sick and older animals, so we are raising money in her name to help with those costs. That will be her legacy.”
Don’t pin the tail on these donkeys
The event, at Karen’s yard will feature a raffle, tombola, cake sale and second-hand tack sale.
Visitors will be able to meet Karen’s horses and play Pin the Tail on the Donkey – just not with Denny and Dinky, the two rescue donkeys still in Karen’s care.
Karen will also be giving a demonstration of barefoot and bitless riding, which she uses in her equine therapy and positive reinforcement training.
Supervised children are welcome, but no dogs due to the hens, geese and cats in the yard.
‘She had a full belly and she was loved’
Rescuing and rehoming a troubled animal isn’t easy.
In addition to the expense there’s often the emotional baggage.
Miss Mop was frightened of humans and Karen and her rescue dog Rosie spent her first two nights at Dunkeld sleeping in a tent with the front flap open trying to gain her trust.
On the third day Miss Mop approached Karen and nuzzled her hand. Next she accepted a head scratch. And from then on, she reigned over the yard.
“She used to follow me around like a dog and come to all the windows looking for me,” said Karen.
“She was everyone’s favourite here, and she and Rosie adored one another.
“It was as if she knew she didn’t have a lot of time left and she was determined she was going to make the most of it.
“It would have been lovely if she could have had longer. But she died with a full belly in a place where she was loved. And that’s what I’d like other animals to have too.”
The open day is at Karen’s yard, Equine Unlimited, on the Dungarthill estate, Dunkeld, from 2pm on Sunday July 30.
