This is Venka, she was donated to the Sanctuary July 2019 by Jennifer O’Neill. She is 6 years old and has been in training to pull the cart.
She has a very poor topline due to starvation before Jenn rescued her and her mother. But with exercise and training the back muscle (longismussi) is getting stronger.
Venka is the older sister of Pytor and quite simply, a sweetheart. She had a difficult start in life, having been born to a malnourished dam, and that early hardship likely shaped both her body and her gentle nature. Despite her beginnings, she has grown into a kind, affectionate mare with a temperament that is truly her greatest asset.
Venka is generally not ridden, and while she has been tried in a cart she is not particularly suited to that work. Physically, her back is bowed, which limits her suitability for riding or driving and also makes her more prone to rain rot—a bacterial or fungal skin irritation that can develop in areas where moisture is trapped.
What Venka lacks in performance ability, she more than makes up for in character. Her true value lies in her temperament. She is a joy to work with: calm, cooperative and eager for attention. She has a gentle demeanour, seeks out human interaction and stands patiently for handling. There is a softness about her that makes people immediately comfortable around her.
Venka is inseparable from her brother Pytor, and the two are often mistaken for one another due to their similar appearance. While Pytor thrives on work and movement, Venka thrives on connection. She is a doll to work with, loves being fussed over, and carries herself with a quiet beauty that makes her special in her own right.
