World Horse Welfare celebrates success stories in rehoming initiative

A 5-year-old side-saddle rider who rehomed a neglected pony is the star story of World Horse Welfare’s Rehome a Horse month.

Rosie, a dun mare, came to the Blackpool Rescue and Rehoming Centre with painfully overgrown feet and laminitis back in 2004.

She has since recovered and been rehomed with Megan Jones, 5, whom she partnered side-saddle in the London New Year’s Day Parade this year.

Megan’s mother, Angharad Jones, described Rosie as “the perfect pony”.

“Rosie and Megan are inseparable and have been since we rehomed Rosie in 2009,” Angharad said.

“She’s just so willing and incredibly calm – perfect for my daughter.”

Rosie was foot-perfect at the parade in front of half a million spectators with her small jockey — the youngest-ever side-saddle rider to participate.

“Rosie is not fazed by anything,” added Angharad. “We went down to where the brass bands were playing very, very loudly and Rosie went to sleep!”

The pair have also been successful in the showring, standing reserve champion for side-saddle and young handler under-10, as well as 2 seconds in veteran in-hand and concours d’elegance side-saddle at this month’s Nefyn Agricultural Show (5 May).

“I am glad that World Horse Welfare gave me my pony because I love her very much,” said Megan. “Other little girls and boys should get one too because then horses who have no homes can be happy.”

Horses must be rehomed by a responsible and capable adult on behalf of their children. If circumstances change, or the pony is outgrown, it can be returned to World Horse Welfare.

For information, visit www.worldhorsewelfare.org/rehoming.

Martha Terry

H&H features editor

Martha is an experienced journalist who is mad-keen on dogs of all shapes and sizes. After growing up with assorted liver and white springer spaniels, she enjoyed 14 years with two rescue dogs, one a street dog from Gambia who was abandoned at three weeks old. Now, her constant companion, whether by her feet at her desk or walking cross-country courses, is Fidget, an extremely energetic and habitually muddy black and white springer. Martha has written on topics as diverse as a top horse’s clone to the best GPS trackers for dogs, as well as equestrian and rural matters for Country Life, The Field, The Times, The Spectator and The Telegraph alongside Horse & Hound.