Mable the Sable Island horse dies at 35 at Cape Breton wildlife park

Two Rivers Wildlife Park in Cape Breton has lost a grand old lady who cheerfully graced its petting zooarea for the past 10 years.

Mable, a 35-year-old Sable Island horse,lived at Two Rivers since the late 1980s. Park manager John Huntington acquired her, along witha male of the same breed, Brandy,from the provincial wildlife park in Shubenacadie.

"They were both pretty wild at first,"says Huntington, "We kept them in a wooded pasture area where they would come around for treats,but they were pretty skittish around people."

After about 20 years out at pasture, he says,they "settled down" to the point where they were moved to the petting zoo, enjoying the company of the other animals, staff and visitors of all ages.

Brandy, who was also in his mid-30s, was euthanizedin 2014.

Park-living obviously agreed with both horses, says Huntington, who notes the average lifespan of horses that liveon Sable Island itself is only six to eight years.

• Sable Island: The wild horses' history and future

• Sable Island: A living treasure

Huntington's voice quavers a bit as he recalls regular visitors like long-time volunteer Bob Kingsbury, who developed a real bond with Mable and Brandy.

"He came by every day with carrots and apples, and they began to look for his truck every day."

As for Mable's health, Huntington says the only problem she ever had was "one ulcerated eye," which had to be treated daily for a time.

But in recent weeks she began to falterdue to substantial weight loss and liver failure, leaving no option but to have the veterinarianput her down.

"She was a beautiful horse,"says Huntington, adding he'd love to able to display horses of her breed again someday at Two Rivers.

Roughly 500 wild horses still live on Sable Island, about 175 kilometres off the Atlantic Coast of Nova Scotia.

Huntingtonsays it's his understanding there's a moratorium on having Sable Island horses taken off the island.

"She be missed, that's for sure."