A new foal the first to be born at Dartmoor Pony Training Centre
| A new foal - the first to be born at Dartmoor Pony Training Centre - is romping round the fields and getting to know the new herd. And although she's little, she's hoping to build a huge fan club through attracting lots of sponsors! Rona's mother, Bonnie, was destined to be a temporary resident (following the death of her owner) but has ended up staying at the centre to have Rona. For a first-time mum, Bonnie is proving to be exceptional and takes great care of the youngster. Rona is a bit of a surprise - because her father upon arrival at the centre was gelded! Bonnie came to the DPTC in June 2007 with another pony, the gelding named Clyde after their owner died. They were due to be moved north, but the people due to have them decided they could no longer take them on so the DPTC agreed to keep and re-home them. |  |
 | They soon realised Bonnie was in foal and decided it was best not to re-home her just yet. It transpired Clyde had not been gelded long before both ponies arrived at the Centre! Clyde has since gone to a wonderful home with another of their ponies, Bertie, but has been informed he is now a father! Bonnie will be re-homed after Rona has been weaned. Rona has been named after the organisation "Sirona Therapeutic Horsemanship" based near Totnes. When she is older it is hoped that she will move to the centre to work alongside the existing team of professionals and horses with young people from the South West. |
Sirona Therapeutic Horsemanship currently works with young people in foster care, a local Youth Offending Team and a Pupil Referral Unit. Because of their quiet but sensitive temperaments, Dartmoor Hill Ponies are perfect for this type of work and the DPTC also help source suitable ponies for this work for local and national organisations. (For more information on Sirona Therapeutic Horsemanship please call Hannah Burgon on 01803 866248 / 07958 356114 or have a look at their new website: http://www.sironacic.com/) The DPTC is a not for profit organisation who rely solely on donation. |  |
As part of their fundraising they run a sponsorship scheme and Rona is one of the new additions to the ponies who can be sponsored. For £15 a month you can sponsor her and you will receive a sponsor pack which includes a certificate, description of Rona and a photo. You will also get regular updates and a birthday and Christmas card, and there is a blog site which is regularly updated with how all the ponies at the centre are getting on with lots of photos. As Rona gets older the updates will continue and when she moves to Sirona sponsors will be kept up to date with her progress there and what the work she is doing is achieving and how she is progressing in that field.
For further details please contact the Dartmoor Pony Training Centre on 01364 654609, e-mail them at dartmoorponytrainingcentre@yahoo.co.uk alternatively look at their website www.dptc.org.uk. If you would like to send a photographer out for photos this can be arranged.
Added on: 22/05/08.
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