Rescue ponies win prizes at Equifest
A Dartmoor pony rescued from a former judge and breeder and a cob from Spindles Farm stood champion and reserve at the first RSPCA and PRP Rescue Services rescue horse/pony of the year class, held at Equifest (18 August).
Bay gelding Little Ted was found collapsed and emaciated in Kiplingcotes, East Yorks, in March 2010. He had to be placed on a drip at the scene and was taken away from his owner by RSPCA inspectors.
His former owner was banned from keeping horses in September 2011 after admitting causing the pony to suffer.
Cheshire-based Sharon Harris adopted him in July.
Reserve at Equifest was Sundae, a chestnut mare who was among more than 100 horses rescued from Spindles Farm, Amersham, in 2008.
Sundae is now a schoolmistress at the RSPCA’s Felledge Equine Centre in Co Durham.
“I was surprised by the
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[[ strong.amazing condition the ponies and horses were in ]] after they had all had such bad starts in life,” said judge John Bourne.
“The standards were far higher than I expected.”
Co-judge Clare Frost added: “This was one of the most heart-wrenching but fulfilling experiences I have had as a judge.”
This news story was first published in the current issue of H&H (30 August 2012)
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A graduate of Exeter University, Amy joined our news team from Redpin Publishing in 2008 as news writer. She was promoted to deputy news editor in May 2013 and became news editor in April 2015. She left Horse & Hound in March 2016 to take up an editorial position in Dubai.