Concerned about a horse? Call 01508 481008 or 01508 505246.
Concerned about a horse? Call 01508 481008 or 01508 505246.
27 February 2019
Here at Redwings, we love catching up with our Guardians to hear what our horses did next, and when it comes to Redwings Molly and her Guardian Jess it seems more appropriate to say ‘What didn’t they do next?’ as the pair have thrown themselves into many equestrian activities and have plenty more on their list to try!
The life that the dynamic duo enjoy now is a far cry from the conditions that Molly was rescued from in 2012 with her companion Teddy, after the pair were reported to Redwings and the RSPCA as a welfare concern. Despite the issuing of an Improvement Notice to their owner, the conditions of the horses continued to deteriorate.
Poor Teddy was very underweight with a Body Condition Score (BCS) of just 0.5 (the ideal BCS is 3), and Molly looked likely to suffer similarly if she remained in the situation. The pair were seized under the powers of the Animal Welfare Act to make sure they got the care they needed. Their owner was successfully prosecuted and banned from keeping equines for five years, and given a £2,000 fine.
At Redwings, Thoroughbred cross Molly was identified as a candidate for our Guardianship Scheme and found a home with Jess in 2013. Jess recently filled us in on their most recent adventures, telling us: “Molly and I compete at novice level team chasing, which is similar to cross country in that we jump natural type obstacles, like hedges, but you do it as a team of three, with the first whole team to cross the line stopping the clock and winning. It is absolute madness but it is great fun!”
Jess says this photo perfectly sums up Molly's enthusiam for life! (Photo credit: One Man and His Photo Machine)
“We have also recently competed at some dressage, and in the summer we enjoy showjumping - Molly is an ace at jump off turns! In the winter you will most often find us plastered in mud galloping around the countryside, which meets with Molly’s approval as she absolutely loves a proper gallop!”
Plus, the pair also take a turn in the show ring and are regulars at the Redwings Show. They even won the Ridden Best Rescue Class at the Redwings Show in 2018 and represented Redwings in the rescue classes at Equifest, one of the largest multi-day horse shows in the UK.
But their fun doesn’t stop there as Jess has plans for 2019 which include the pair turning their hoof to barrel racing and Working Equitation. Plus, Jess even wants to try bareback showjumping, crediting Molly for being comfy enough to want to give it a go!
To sum up their life together, Jess said: “Molly is great fun, everyone should have a Mol! She is so up for everything and very forgiving of all my silly antics. It's like being a kid with a pony again and everyone loves her, she's such a character. Even my non-horsey husband will have his hair done by her, as she likes to think she's a hairdresser and rearrange your hair for you when you go in the stable with her!
"Although she's a total diva and my world has to revolve around her, she is just the nicest horse you could ever hope to meet and she never fails to make me smile with her funny little ways. So there you have it, an ode to my Molly!"
For more information about the Redwings Guardianship Scheme, how to apply and details on the latest horses and ponies looking for a new home click here.
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