'I have to have that pony!'

TESORILLO & SOTOGRANDE He is grey haired, stands up on order and loves his job. Children adore him, and he them (at least we think that's what his nibbling means!). He is a short little fellow who has found a permanent home, after living at eight different places over the last eight years. His life hasn't been easy, though not as bad as too many of his kind. He is definitely a puller. His owner, Lavanya, tells us that Rambo first caught her eye some four years ago, when she was doing some work on a private stud farm near Jimena. One of the local people had bought him for his younger brother, who would drive the pony up and down the dirt track in front of the farm she was working on. "He was so eye catching, this minature stallion," says Lavanya. "He would sometimes be cheeky and stubborn with the young boy and root himself to the spot. I loved him from the moment I saw him and joked with friends about how 'I need that pony'." But one day, the pony had gone, disappeared into thin air. Never saw him again. Until ... >>>

Four years later, she bumped into an old Spanish friend, a well known horse dealer and a bit of a wheeler-dealer. "Lavanya," he said, "I have a beautiful pony and trap for sale. It's a good price."

Naturally, Lavanya had to have a look. She can't resist temptation at all, we're told. They walked past some ramshackle outhouses populated by chickens and dogs, and there, right at the back was her old friend Rambo.

"I recognised him straight away - and I had to have that pony!" she tells us.

Lavanya and her boyfriend, a farrier, collected Rambo and took him home. She had her pony at last. Sadly, Rambo's little passport had eight owners registered in eight years, so he was promised that he was to stay with Lavanya for the rest of his days, getting the kindness and respect that he so much deserves.

As she says, he has an enormous heart for such a small pony and always tries his best.

It is serious business, though, when he gets into his tack, ready to pull his little trap full of kids. He knows his job and seems to enjoy it, according to Lavanya.

As you can see from these pictures, Rambo loves to show off. But it is serious business getting his tack on - and even more serious business letting the children get on the trap and taking them for a little ride round the houses. Lavanya says she thinks he really enjoys this.

And so do the kids.

Rambo is usually there on Saturday mornings, at the Mar y Sol Market near Sotogrande. He also enjoys a party and makes himself available for children's birthdays and celebrations. (Contact Lavanya: lavanya@hotmail.es) 

That's what he does every Saturday morning at the Mar y Sol market. The kids love it, too, because this is a pretty unique little ride for them. You don't see many of them about, do you? Then again, Rambo likes children (those who treat him with respect, of course) so he makes himself available for birthdays and other celebrations at their homes. (Contact Lavanya, Rambo's secretary: lavanya@hotmail.es)