Pony centre manager

Natalie O’Rourke heads up a community pony centre that became known as the “National Horse Service” during lockdown, raising spirits all around London

- Kate Johnson

I was based at Park Lane Stables in Teddington for 13 years and have recently moved to a temporary venue two miles away in Petersham. We’re a Riding for the Disabled Association (RDA) group and a Pony Club centre. We have 23 ponies on rotation; the most we have in at any one time is 10.

During the first lockdown, we started visiting people with one of our ponies, Annie’s Whizz, and holding up a sign, such as “you’re not alone”, at people’s windows. We must have walked the length and breadth of London. It evolved into people sending requests; if a family lived miles away from elderly parents we’d take their message and hold it up. We called it the “National Horse Service”.