A “scraggly and forlorn” rescue pony who has undergone a remarkable transformation has taken to a career in driving like a “duck to water”.
Graham, an 11.2hh part-bred Welsh pony, was taken into the care of World Horse Welfare as a two-year-old in 2017 with three other horses who had all been found in poor condition and living in filthy stables.
(Image credit: creditUnknown)
A spokesman for the charity said Graham “flourished” thanks to the staff at the Penny Farm Rescue and Rehoming Centre and at four years old started his education in “earnest”.
“His potential as a future driving pony quickly shone through,” he said.
“Once he was ready, the team put him in a carriage and he took to it like a duck to water.”
In January 2018 Graham was rehomed by Nichola and Amelia Waddicor, who compete in driving as part of Team Khoja, after they saw his potential “straight away”.
“Graham’s absolutely full of it – he’s so inquisitive and bold, which is always good for driving. He’s always into the wheelbarrows, the poop scoop, the rugs – everything. He’s so lovable, and adorable,” said Nichola.
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“He’s up for it and willing, and that’s what you want in a driving pony. They’ve got to want to do it and he absolutely loves it; his ears are always forward looking for the next thing and we’ve got high hopes for him.”
The spokesman said Graham “grew into his role” with the lead of his team-mate, Nichola’s Dartmoor hill pony Cosmo, and the partnership have gone from strength to strength.
“Nichola and Amelia had initially planned that Graham would partner up with Amelia’s star pony Khoja, but the ponies’ paces proved too different for that partnership to work. Amelia realised that Graham worked really well alongside Nichola’s pony Cosmo, at which point Nichola ended up handing over her pony and the dynamic duo was born,” said the spokesman.
“Competing in the distinctive yellow colours of Team Khoja, Graham is thriving as a competitive driving pony and the team have high hopes for his future career.”
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Since joining H&H in 2018, Becky has covered a broad range of equestrian news including welfare matters, veterinary studies, FEI Tribunal hearings and road safety campaigns. She has also interviewed top riders including Scott Brash, John Whitaker and Ian Stark, to name just a few. Becky’s reporting has taken her to Canada for Spruce Meadows and France for Pau five-star, as well as the Royal Highland and Blair Castle International Horse Trials closer to home. She was also a key part of the remote reporting team for the Tokyo Olympics and the Europeans.
