A pony who “has received the hearts of all who’ve ridden or labored together with her”, and has simply retired aged 30, is the 2022 British Horse Society (BHS) equine character of the yr.
The title, one in all a quantity given yearly by the BHS at its annual awards, goes to the horse or pony who has finished probably the most for individuals.
Bonny, of Outdated Mill Stables in Cornwall, has been a driving faculty and Using for the Disabled Affiliation (RDA) pony for over 20 years.
“She is such a form, light pony and has taught a number of youngsters to trip,” her quotation reads.
“Bonny is sincere, prepared, reliable and a pleasure to trip, groom and tack. She has received the hearts of all who’ve ridden or labored together with her from giving tiny tots confidence and a love of driving, by to alternatives for RDA riders to develop abilities and widen their expertise – and never least to embed in riders of all ages a love of horses and driving that can final a lifetime. She has given numerous riders their first canter, their first hack, their first leap.”
Outdated Mill stables proprietor Lou Ridge informed H&H Bonny will keep within the routine she has been in for the previous 21 years.
“She’ll stay within the subject she’s been in ever since she got here off the ramp,” she stated. “She received’t exit in some other subject; that one’s hers and as horses have come and gone, they’ve gone in together with her and he or she’s nannied them and introduced them up correctly.
“She nonetheless is available in each morning together with her gang, those she’s mentoring, and has her feed and a groom. We retired her as we didn’t need her to have the burden on her any extra, and we wished her to have a superb retirement, being a horse. That’s what we attempt to do for all our horses. In the mean time, she’s nonetheless completely happy to have a groom, but when she isn’t, that will probably be tremendous too.”
Outdated Mill Stables, which celebrated its sixtieth anniversary this yr, can be dwelling to the Southwest Cornwall RDA, by which Bonny has performed an enormous half.
“She’s been so many youngsters’s teddy bear, and I’ve discovered youngsters giving her a hug and having a weep about one thing that could be occurring and he or she takes it for them,” she stated. “She’s an absolute treasure.”
Lou added that Bonny price about £1,000 to purchase.
“One of the best thousand kilos I’ve ever spent,” she stated.
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