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Off Topic / Pony Grave Robbing? Need Advice / Perspective Please!
« on: October 24, 2018, 06:05:24 PM »
Hi all, I don't post here much but this was pony related and I'm in desperate need of some perspective/advice.
WARNING: CONTAINS DEATH.
Basically, I go on a walk every other day, and I usually walk around/past a large childrens' playground by a river. Often there's toys discarded, and I try put them somewhere kids can get them but they won't fall off, because I know how upset kids get when their toys go missing. If nobody re-claims them in a couple of days, I usually take them home, clean them up, and either keep them or donate them to charity. Sometimes they also run down the river when it overflows, as it does when it storms.
On Sunday, my friend said she saw a MLP in the area but it was stuck in a bush and she didn't have time to grab it out. I went down Tuesday (had a storm sun-mon) and she was there, in a bush like my friend said, a bit off my usual route. I pulled her out and she looked a bit sad - mud caked and whatnot, a lot like the ones that get pushed down by the river - but definitely too far up the bank to have come from that. I put her where I hoped she'd be found and decided to check again today.
Today, I came by, and she'd somehow ended up out of the bush on the other side of the path. I picked her up, rubbed her off as best I could, and kept walking.
On the way back, though...
I saw, maybe two metres from the pony's location, a grave marker. Basically some thick rope/ribbon on one of the young trees, with flowers all around it. The dates were a bit worn but clearly it was for a young kid, a couple of years ago. And judging by the flowers, it was well looked-after and also a girl. It was clearly not official, either, as there are official plaques all around and well marked on maps and this definitely wasn't one, it was very hidden and unmarked and amateur.
I felt absolutely guilty as hell. Again, this is off my usual route so I'd never seen it, but it seemed almost definite that the pony must have gone with this stuff. All of it had been there a while and wasn't well attached, but there was clearly fresh things there. So I cleaned the pony as best I could on the grass and tried wedging her into the next tree over.
I came away feeling deeply guilty and conflicted.
I don't know if the pony belongs there. I don't know anything about the girl - or boy, or whoever. I wish I could have cleaned it up more either way. But I'm also aware it's highly illegal to put graves, grave markers, or scatter remains in that area, because it's a playground in a nature reserve so could be dangerous on a lot of levels, not to mention there's no official person to take care of that stuff. I also have a relative with a chair we donated in her name in that park (hence knowing the laws about it,) and I've had people vandalise it so I know how taking the pony could have potentially broken someone heart - but only if it was supposed to be there in the first place, which again I don't know. And I can't ask anywhere, because drawing attention to it, could get the whole thing removed by the council and I'd hate to do that to someone.
I'm just feeling a bit messed up about it all. If anyone has any advice, or experience, or just some nice words, I could do with it right about now.
WARNING: CONTAINS DEATH.
Basically, I go on a walk every other day, and I usually walk around/past a large childrens' playground by a river. Often there's toys discarded, and I try put them somewhere kids can get them but they won't fall off, because I know how upset kids get when their toys go missing. If nobody re-claims them in a couple of days, I usually take them home, clean them up, and either keep them or donate them to charity. Sometimes they also run down the river when it overflows, as it does when it storms.
On Sunday, my friend said she saw a MLP in the area but it was stuck in a bush and she didn't have time to grab it out. I went down Tuesday (had a storm sun-mon) and she was there, in a bush like my friend said, a bit off my usual route. I pulled her out and she looked a bit sad - mud caked and whatnot, a lot like the ones that get pushed down by the river - but definitely too far up the bank to have come from that. I put her where I hoped she'd be found and decided to check again today.
Today, I came by, and she'd somehow ended up out of the bush on the other side of the path. I picked her up, rubbed her off as best I could, and kept walking.
On the way back, though...
I saw, maybe two metres from the pony's location, a grave marker. Basically some thick rope/ribbon on one of the young trees, with flowers all around it. The dates were a bit worn but clearly it was for a young kid, a couple of years ago. And judging by the flowers, it was well looked-after and also a girl. It was clearly not official, either, as there are official plaques all around and well marked on maps and this definitely wasn't one, it was very hidden and unmarked and amateur.
I felt absolutely guilty as hell. Again, this is off my usual route so I'd never seen it, but it seemed almost definite that the pony must have gone with this stuff. All of it had been there a while and wasn't well attached, but there was clearly fresh things there. So I cleaned the pony as best I could on the grass and tried wedging her into the next tree over.
I came away feeling deeply guilty and conflicted.
I don't know if the pony belongs there. I don't know anything about the girl - or boy, or whoever. I wish I could have cleaned it up more either way. But I'm also aware it's highly illegal to put graves, grave markers, or scatter remains in that area, because it's a playground in a nature reserve so could be dangerous on a lot of levels, not to mention there's no official person to take care of that stuff. I also have a relative with a chair we donated in her name in that park (hence knowing the laws about it,) and I've had people vandalise it so I know how taking the pony could have potentially broken someone heart - but only if it was supposed to be there in the first place, which again I don't know. And I can't ask anywhere, because drawing attention to it, could get the whole thing removed by the council and I'd hate to do that to someone.
I'm just feeling a bit messed up about it all. If anyone has any advice, or experience, or just some nice words, I could do with it right about now.
but oh well, I'm super happy to have gotten Beachball in the end! Other than her horn, which as the previous owner said was a little chewed, she's in lovely condition. Just look at the adorable cheek blush! I'm also delighted at the complete lack of rust, all things considered.