A dozen lucky rescue ponies find new homes at Equifest

At their first visit to a horse show since being saved, 12 ponies rescued by the RSPCA were adopted by visitors at Equifest this weekend. (12 and 13th August)

Visitors and competitors at the famous Peterborough horse event flocked to the RSPCA’s stand to learn about the charity’s work and meet the rescue horses, with some people being so taken with the ponies, they reserved them on the spot!

Six year-old Amelia James fell in love with rescue pony Billy (pictured right with RSPCA inspector Christine McNeil) after visiting the show with her parents,  Paul and Lesley, who had come to compete their own horse. The family adopted Billy, taking him home to Ayrshire with them after the show.

Across the four-day event held at the East of England showground, the RSPCA team met thousands of visitors and competitors, talking about their on-going work rescuing, rehabilitating and rehoming some of the country’s most neglected and suffering ponies.

RSPCA chief inspector Cathy Hyde, who heads up the RSPCA’s equine team said: “Stabled at the event were 16 of those ponies who have blossomed in our care, and were ready to find their new homes – so we are delighted that twelve were reserved. Some, like Billy, even went home with their new owners on the last day of the show as we were able to have home checks carried out swiftly by regional volunteers.

“It was our sixth year at Equifest and as always, the special RSPCA and PRP Rescue Services Rescue Horse/Pony of the Year competition was a roaring success, with many familiar faces of ponies we have rehomed in the past and their adopters coming back to strut their stuff in the arena, and also plenty of new faces of ponies more recently happily rescued from suffering and neglect. We are delighted that Buggy, a little pony rehabilitated by World Horse Welfare, was crowned the winner this year (pictured left) and Delamere Kaleidoscope ‘Doris’, who was rescued by Equine Emergency Services in 2012, was named reserve champion. Buggy’s trophy was given by the RSPCA Bolton Branch.”

The competition is always packed with entries of transformational stories including rescue horses from all charities and equine rescue organisations, and those who have rescued a horse or pony themselves. Six in-hand and ridden classes took place before the grand finale in the show’s Saturday night evening performance, which was an exciting and emotional display for the audience.

If you missed Equifest but would like to find out more about rehoming a horse or pony from the RSPCA, please visit www.rspca.org.uk/homesforhorses to see the horses currently available for adoption.

To support the RSPCA’s equine rescue and rehabilitation work text LOVE to 87023 to give £3 (Text costs £3 + one standard network rate message).

Suzanne Ashton

Suzanne Ashton, Founder of Everything Horse (Est, 2012), has a BA Hons in Marketing Management and a Diploma in Equine Science. Suzanne has ridden and owned horses all her life and has twelve years of experience in marketing, writing, design, SEO, and website creation.