2022 saw 154 Redwings horses and ponies rehomed

Redwings Horse Sanctuary were delighted to announce that 154 horses and ponies were successfully rehomed in 2022.

In all, 2022 saw Redwings offer a home within the Sanctuary to 109 horses and ponies. Redwings’ field officers identified and intervened in 175 cases last year, improving the conditions of 622 horses through advice to owners or the removal of the equine into our care, making an immediate positive impact on individual equine’s lives.

Horses are re-homed on the charity’s Guardianship re-homing scheme as either ridden ponies, non-ridden companions or unbacked projects, for experienced Guardians to continue their training to be ridden.

Success stories

Last year saw five former unbacked projects begin life as riding school ponies at Turpins Lodge Riding School in Oxfordshire.

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Cosmos and Homer joined Turpins Lodge in December 2021, but 2022 saw them return for three more horses from Redwings – Merlin, Joy and Jonesy.

14 hand, eight-year-old cob Jonesy, who was rehomed to Turpins Lodge in January 2022, was born at Redwings after his mum Bridget was found in a cargo container in Norfolk, severely underweight and with damage to her eye. Happily, she was able to deliver a healthy foal, who was then named Jonesy as a nod to the Bridget Jones films.

In the 12 months of 2022, he went from being completely unbacked to now being a regular in lessons and hacks at the riding school, and even coming home with his first rosette after he accompanied clients on a local fun ride.

Caroline Catling, owner of Turpins Lodge, said: 

The ponies we have had from Redwings have all settled in so well, and were backed and riding away fairly quickly. All the work the Redwings team had put in, including preparing them for the vet, farrier, dentist and innumerable handling situations, meant they were set up for success, and made our life much easier.

Our experience with Jonesy showed just that when, on only his first or second hack once backed, he was being ridden through the village and encountered a cement mixer, by some roadworks, and where the road was really narrow. He just walked straight past as if to say ‘Bring it on!’ and that was a perfect sign for us that he was going to be a good fit for the riding school.”

The Turpins Lodge ponies, and owner Caroline, featured in the ‘We Love Cobs’ episode of the charity’s podcast series, Sounds of the Sanctuary, catching up with their progress in their new home and why the five horses, who are all cobs or cob crosses, were an especially good fit for a riding school. 2022 saw Redwings launch its second series of the podcast, which has had over 5,000 downloads so far.

Rachel Angell, Head of Norfolk Equine Operations, who heads up the charity’s rehoming scheme said:  

We’re delighted with these rehoming numbers, and that so many Redwings ponies have found lovely new lives with Redwings Guardians in 2022. The numbers only tell half the story of the work that teams from across Redwings do to find happy new homes for our horses though.

Redwings is 100% funded by donations, so all of this is only made possible by our kind supporters, and it really is a crucial way we can continue to make capacity in the Sanctuary to continue to help horses who desperately need us.”

Horses rehomed from Redwings are done so on a long-term loan arrangement, meaning their Guardian takes on all responsibilities for their care. For more information please visit their rehoming page.