From unhandled teenage stallion to perfect pony pal – Leo’s story

Leonardo, known as Leo to his friends, came into our Penny Farm Rescue and Rehoming Centre in 2021 as an unhandled 13-year-old stallion. Leo, a 12hh Welsh Section A pony, had been in a large semi-feral herd his entire life, so being taken away from his mares and having to learn about being around people was a huge change for him. Despite this, Leo transformed under the expert care of the Penny Farm team and he became much more settled after being castrated. Once he’d completed his rehabilitation, Leo was ready to find a loving home as a companion pony.

Looking for a friend for her Thoroughbred Louis, Hilary rehomed Leo in 2023 and found him to be the perfect companion. “He was very quiet when he first arrived – I think he wasn’t quite sure what was going to happen to him in this new place,” explains Hilary. “He soon settled in though and his character started to come through. Even now, at the age of 17, he loves to play with my other horse in the field. I think Leo is convinced he’s the same size as my 16.2hh ex-racehorse – nobody has told him otherwise!

Having submitted her rehoming application online, Hilary was invited to the farm to view her chosen pony. “I initially went to Penny Farm to look at another pony but just didn’t quite click with him. The team suggested I meet Leo instead and we bonded immediately,” says Hilary. “He’s so friendly and loves to nuzzle you, and he and my horse have become the best of buddies and are just inseparable now. Being a Thoroughbred, Louis is quite a fidget and when he goes off for a wander round the field Leo feels he has to go too in case he misses anything – which is actually very handy for his waistline.”

Once Leo had settled into his routine with his new friend, Hilary decided to introduce him to some in-hand horse agility-type exercises to occupy his brain as well as providing a fun way to help manage his weight.

“When I first introduced him to the agility work, Leo was initially a bit confused – he’d obviously had a thorough grounding in his handling skills at Penny Farm, but this was new territory for him,” says Hilary. “He picked it up really well though once I’d figured out how he likes to learn. He even comes to call now, which is very handy when Seema, our Field Officer, pops in to do his twice-yearly rehoming visits.”

Reflecting on her experience of rehoming Leo, Hilary adds:

“I’d recommend rehoming to anyone – don’t think twice about it! I’ve found Leo so rewarding – he ticked all the right boxes and he’s just the perfect companion. You get so much joy from rehoming a rescue pony.”

If you’ve been inspired to rehome by Leo’s story, check out all our horses and ponies on our rehoming pages.