Pony centre manager
Horse & Hound|July 08, 2021
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
Pony centre manager

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”.

This story is from the July 08, 2021 edition of Horse & Hound.

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This story is from the July 08, 2021 edition of Horse & Hound.

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