Stolen pony reunited with Jurupa Valley child

By Joy Benedict

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    JURUPA VALLEY, California (KCAL, KCBS) — A little cowboy in Jurupa Valley treated his beloved pony with a big hug and a pallet of alfalfa during their heartfelt reunion this week.

“I love my pony!” 6-year-old Ruben Vasquez Jr. said.

The tiny equine, named Little Evil, disappeared more than two weeks ago after a pony poacher snatched it from the pen in the Vasquez family’s front yard. The family pleaded for help finding their child’s pony, which has been Vasquez Jr.’s trusted steed for nearly two years.

“Everyone, thank you for helping me and sending me the pictures,” Vasquez Jr. said.

After hearing their story, people on social media started reaching out to the family, saying they spotted Little Evil in an Ontario field earlier this week.

“They thought that the pony was next door to them,” mother Myra Anguiano said. “They sent us pictures and videos. We’re like ‘Yes! That’s him!”

The family, accompanied by police, arrived at the field on Tuesday but couldn’t find Little Evil at first.

“We didn’t see anything,” Anguiano said. “We had to go all the way to the back of the property, and that’s where we found him.”

After spotting his beloved pony, Vasquez Jr. sprinted to Little Evil and walked him out. The family thinks the thief abandoned the pony after the family’s pleas started to circulate in the community.

“Maybe they saw everyone was looking for it and went and dumped him there,” Anguiano said.

While they have been reunited, the family is concerned about Little Evil’s health after noticing that the pony has a cut and refuses to eat or drink.

For now, Little Evil will stay at a friend’s house until the Vasquez family can patch the holes in their fencing and make sure it’s secure.

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