Six equines rescued by Redwings are going back to school this September.
The Royal Alexandra and Albert School in Surrey has rehomed the ponies, Zowie, Acer, Clyde, Tom, Moto and Noah, to join its riding school.
School stable manager Irini Economou said: “We wanted to rehome from Redwings to give rescued ponies the opportunity to live at the school and be loved by the pupils.”
Zowie, a 14hh piebald cob, was rescued with a foal at foot by the charity in January 2016 from Haddiscoe, Norfolk after the charity was alerted to her condition by a member of the public. The mare was found to be very underweight and the foal, Bowie, required urgent veterinary attention.
The mare gave birth to another foal, Stardust, four months after her arrival at Redwings. Zowie was chosen as a candidate for the charity’s rehoming programme, the Redwings Guardianship Scheme.
Rehoming and operations manager Rachel Angell said: “Our rehoming programme aims to find lifelong and loving homes for our rescued residents and so involves loaning a Redwings horse on a permanent basis, while also always having the support of the charity.
Zowie is one of the first horses to be rehomed by the charity as an unbacked project horse. The received basic handling training at Redwings and the school will undertake Zowie’s training under saddle.
“Even though three of the ponies came to us unbacked, they have all taken to their training really well and Zowie is now enjoying gentle hacks around the school’s 200 acres of parklands as her training progresses,” said Irini.
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“The Redwings staff have also been brilliant, from my original enquiry with their team, all the way through to a member of their rehoming team coming to Hickstead to support Moto and Clyde when they were in a jumping competition with our pupils,” she said. “We are delighted to have the Redwings ponies in our riding school and have thoroughly enjoyed watching them progress.”
The Royal Alexandra and Albert School is also supporting the charity by holding fundraising events including a fancy dress sponsored showjumping competition and a sky-dive.
“We are delighted that Zowie and our other five Redwings ponies, have found the happy ending they deserve at the Royal Alexandra and Albert School’s riding centre. They have excellent facilities and it’s so rewarding to see how well they are progressing in their training,” said Rachel.
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