Mr Solomons and his horse Ronnie, acquired as a colt at the age of two, have been together for twenty-two years! Mr Solomons is now too old to ride scrap, so has handed Ronnie's reins over to his son, who travels at a slow pace around Mitchells Plain, not too far from home. Old Mr Solomons regularly visits the clinic every week for a bag of 10% meal, and brings Ronnie to be shod every fortnight.  For some time now, Diana has been tactfully trying to suggest that Mr Solomons retire the old horse to whom he is so very attached.

 

One afternoon recently, Mr Solomons did not arrive as usual, but phoned Diana asking her to come to his home as Ronnie was very ill with diarrhoea. She arrived to find the old man mending a cart, with tears streaming down his face. He asked her to take Ronnie away as there was no money to pay the 'hospital'.

Doc was immediately called to treat Ronnie on site, and Diana explained that CHPA is there to help people like him who are unable to pay high veterinary fees.

 

Ronnie fortunately suffered no lasting ill effects and is fit and well again, the oldest cart horse on the block, but still not retired! Diana will have to keep trying.