The six Shetland ponies that managed to escape from the police in Haaren on Sunday evening have been back behind the wire in the meadow since Monday afternoon. Officers who received a report of the animals on the cycle path filmed them but then the ponies ran off. One of the owners Jeffrey Smulder from Haaren is happy that his animals are back. “They got hay right away.”
On images shared by the Groene Beemden police on Instagram the ponies walk happily through the snow on the cycle path. The officers’ plan was to return the animals to the meadow in Haaren after the recordings, but the animals thought differently. The Shetlanders fled.
It was quite a shock for co-owner Jeffrey when he saw the images of his ponies. A friend of his who keeps the animals in the meadow was aware of the disappearance. It was a surprise for Jeffrey. “Six black Shetland ponies in Haaren that had disappeared. Then I knew enough,” he says.
The animals seemed to have disappeared without a trace, but after more than a night and day of adventure in the snow and cold, the redeeming phone call came. “People called me to say they had found the ponies on the industrial estate in Oisterwijk, about 2.5 kilometers from the pasture,” says Jeffrey.
“Luckily they have thick fur.”
He rushed to his animals with two friends. The police also came to see how the ponies were doing. “Luckily they have a thick coat, so they are doing well. They walked along nicely for the half hour back to the meadow and were immediately given hay to eat,” says the owner.
The police believe that the ponies were frightened by fireworks and that is why they ran off on Sunday evening. How they managed to escape from the meadow is a mystery to Jeffrey and his friend. “There were also a few horses loose, but they didn’t run away. Shetland ponies are good breakers,” he laughs.
The animals are now behind the wire in the meadow again. “We are happy that they are back and healthy. Now we have to wait for it to stay that way.”
