– Hello, my name is Bertie and I am a 6 year old miniature Shetland. I am a rescue here at Luccombe Hub Farm. I came from a place where I was kept in a 6ft by 4ft shed and had teenage boys jumping on me and kicking me when I was only 2 years old. This was not only very scary for me but also very dangerous for my development. Horses and ponies are not fully grown until they are 6 years old and so our bones can be damaged if too much is asked of us too young. I was very scared when I first came here and I still carry trauma with me to this day but I have improved so much over my time here. My friends here have helped me a lot and because of some health problems I go between living with my herd and living with my best friend Mary. She has taught me a lot and shows me that I don’t need to be so scared anymore. I love sunshine and I often have a snooze in it whenever I can.