Rescued horse goes from dust to diamonds
Silver Lining's owner was using her and five other horses to transport coal around Tembisa for business
By Nolwazi Dhlamini
The tale of the horse rescued from a storm water hole in Tembisa on May 10 shows every cloud has a silver lining.
After being saved from the storm water drain inspection hole just outside of Tembisa Train Station, Silver Lining, her new name, is well on her way to recovery.
She spent a weekend in critical care at the Society for Animals in Distress’ facility in Midrand, surviving a case of life-threatening colic.
“Her tenacity and strength is amazing to witness and this wonderful horse has also been the catalyst of four other horses joining her on the road to becoming a ‘Diamond from Dust’,” said Heather Muller, executive general manager for The Society for Animals in Distress.
Silver Lining, an 18-month-old cross-bred Arab horse, has now joined the Diamonds in the Dust programme, which ensures horses that are voluntarily surrendered from the coal yards of Greater Tembisa and Ivory Park find safe pastures and purpose.
Silver Lining’s owner was using her and five other horses to transport coal around Tembisa for business before he surrendered all his horses to the Society for Animals in Distress.
Brando Smit, a highly knowledgeable horse handler, is in the process of preparing these special diamonds for their journey ahead.
Equine manager for The Society for Animals in Distress, Sr Marizda Kruger, who was instrumental in directing the rescue operation and the handling and care of Silver Lining, is proud of the continuing and substantial reduction of working equine under the organisation’s successful coal yard programme.
The Diamonds from Dust programme will be participating in the upcoming Westfest gathering, an equestrian event for western horse riding, at Penbritte Equestrian Centre from July 7 to 9.
