For many of these miniature ponies and horses based at the Pakenham Pony Rescue it’s their “last chance” of a leading a better life after being left abandoned or unwanted. But with the organisation having now been given its marching orders to vacate the Ballarto Road site, the non-for-profit is scrambling for a new home, as BRENDAN REES discovers.
“We’re not a fly-by-night thing, we’re wanting to stay. We’re constantly improving, we’re constantly evolving, we’re creating better options, better ideas – things will always be better never the best.”
Dean Cowan leans against a gate overlooking his paddock; his brow furrowed as he watches a couple of pony’s grazing nearby.
He wants nothing more than for the 30-odd horses and miniature ponies at the Pakenham South property to have a better chance at life – after some were nearly “left for dead” or otherwise be “turned into dog food.”
“Many of the animals that come to us have had limited handling, or have been abused by former owners,” Dean explains. “We teach these animals to trust again; through gentle approaches.”
“Some have been neglected or malnourished and need to build their strength back up.”
However, the head of Pakenham Pony Rescue has recently been given his marching orders by the Ballarto Road landlord, who wants to pursue other options for the site.
“They’ve given us two years but the thing is to try and find a property suitable,” Dean says.
As a not-for-profit, Dean and his partner Fiona, along with 20 volunteers are devoted to providing a sanctuary for the horses and ponies, ensuring they get the best care and happy life they deserve.
They work together to rehabilitate, re-socialise and re-train the animals with the aim of restoring the animal’s trust with people and eventually for them to be re-homed.
Dean speaks of his work with passion: “We’ve actually expanded rapidly in the last 18 months. The last 12 months have been amazing … more horses, more volunteers, more people offering to help either financial or services or donated goods.
“Our Facebook page has gone from 800 members now to 1,330.” he says.
He says dedicated members have helped build the Pakenham South site “from scratch” three years ago, including mini-proofing the paddocks, building loose-boxes, hay sheds and storage sheds and erecting shade sails utilising old trampolines.
“Some only spend an hour a month but that hour makes it easy for us. One lady never used a drill in her life. Well, within about an hour she was actually putting palings on the stable.”
“I would like to thank all the loyal and dedicated volunteers and a kind thank you to all the business houses in the Cardinia region for all their noble support of the cause which is the Pakenham Pony Rescue,” Dean said.
Dean is wearing a blue polo shirt, frayed work shorts, brown boots and an oiled skin cap. He opens the gate and begins walking across paddock. “We have applied for several places but we’re exhausting avenues,” he says.
“We’re not a fly-by-night thing, we’re wanting to stay. We’re constantly improving, we’re constantly evolving, we’re creating better options, better ideas – things will always be better never the best,” he says.
Dean hopes to create a place of haven for the animals- one similar to Myuna Farm in Doveton. “I’ve got ideas and dreams I want to create for the organisation, a place where people can visit, have a barbeque and meet a pony.”
He adds: “We would like to remain in Cardinia because the people of Cardinia have been very supportive.”
Asked if he was worried that the possibility the organisation could become homeless, Dean says: “You don’t know me that well. I’m very set in my ways. I’m very stubborn and I’m very tenacious. I’ll keep flogging away until something comes the way we want it.”
About five years ago Dean had watched his successful gardening business diminish before his eyes.
He had also been disowned by his family, had gone through a “messy breakup” with his ex-partner, lost investments, his prestige, and wealth. He was a broken man – until one day in January 2014 and his life was turned around.
He was doing some gardening work for a client in Narre Warren South when he stumbled across Muffie – a miniature pony – abandoned in the backyard of the property.
“I’m working away in the front,” Dean explains, “and the place was a pig sty, and then went to the back and there she was.”
“Muffie had been in that backyard … she didn’t have any water for two weeks previous. She’s a tough little nugget,” he says.
From lice to ticks, depression, eye and ear infection, asthma hook worms, urinary tract infection, heat stress, over grown hooves, lack of protein and more, Muffie “had all sorts of issues,” Dean says.
And it was quite the “journey to get her health back on track.”
Adding to Muffie’s ordeal, Dean says two years prior to him finding her, Muffie had watched her yard mate -an alpaca – die and left abandoned for six months.
“Whatever went through Muffie’s head seeing this whole thing I don’t know but she’s very loyal to me.
“I felt very embarrassed to be a human … an animal is part of your life, that’s what I’ve always been taught,” Dean says, adding “you can’t just forget about it and walk away.
“It inspired me to say well there’s things and people worse off. I didn’t know anything about horses when I first met Muffie.”
After losing his business and almost a million-dollar fortune, Dean says Muffie gave him a renewed look on life.
“I rescued Muffie – everyone knows that but Muffie rescued me more so. I can’t see life any other way now.”
Deans says he loved his job as a gardener. “I was a very well to do man. I didn’t waste my money or squander around like look at me ‘I’ve got my flash shoes on.’ I went to work; I love my job.
“My business partner got involved and underhandedly destroyed me. I still talk to him; I address him by his title – his title is Dad.
“So Muffie saved me more than what I saved her,” he adds. “I’ve been on one heck of a learning curve since.”
The afternoon sun begins to caress the land, and Dean opens another gate to where he finds Gypsy bathing in the sun. “Hello Gypsy, hello girl,” he says.
Gypsy, he explains, is an 11-year-old mini pony mare with a black and white coat. She arrived in April 2018 and suffered from muscle wastage, laminitis, and overgrown hooves.
Dean kneels down and begins rubbing her chest while looking into her large eyes under her shaggy head of hair.
“She’s a very friendly little girl,” he says. “She’s got a very lovely temperament.”
His hand begins to collect a ball of hair as he pats her. “She’s shedding … that’s all her coat over there, we’ve actually filled up a wheelie bin of it.
“She came to us very underweight; she’s actually still underweight. She was walking with her hips actually splayed.
“Since she’s been here she’s been in inoculated, she’s had three vet appointments, had 12 to 15 farrier appointments to bring her feet back,” Dean says.
Maintaining the animals from paying vet bills to feed and even providing a comfortable stable can be challenge so they are reliant on fundraising and donations.
“You can sponsor a pony for $40 a month – it’s a bit like World Vision, it’s fully tax deductible,” Dean says, which helps with medication, feed, worming, agistment and vet checks.
When finding abandoned or unwanted horses Dean contends: “We’ve not taken a horse off a person’s property because we felt bad for it.”
“We’ve always engaged with them and given them the option if they can’t look after the horse we’re ‘happy to take it off your hands and we’ll look after it to the best of our abilities’,” he says.
“A lot of people have abused them, they’re took much to work on, too much cost and they’ve come to us because there’s only one other option and that’s not really fair.”
Each horse or pony come with a heartbreaking story but the Pakenham Pony Rescue has been able to rehome seven animals.
“We enjoy what we do, we take pride in what we do,” Dean adds.
For a lot of these “little fellas,” Deans says, the pony rescue is their “last chance ever.”
If you are interested in sponsoring or would like to find out more information visit the Pakenham Pony Rescue (Not for profit) organisation Facebook page.
