Life beyond rescue: Darcy’s story

Darcy, a 15hh Thoroughbred cross mare, originally came into our care in 2014 having been hit by a car after running loose on the road. No owner was ever found and so Darcy was signed over to us. Happily, she recovered from her injuries well and spent nine years in a home as a companion, only returning to us due to a change in circumstances.

Anne saw Darcy when she went up for rehoming again in 2024 and was immediately taken with her. She explains, “I was involved with ponies as a child and had found myself with the space to have horses again. I think it’s so important to offer rescue animals a loving home after everything they’ve been through already, so I was determined to rehome. As soon as I saw Darcy, who was 30 years old at the time, I was drawn to her – I thought I would love to provide a home for this kind old girl.”

After applying for Darcy, Anne visited the farm to meet her and the pair clicked straight away. Anne rehomed Darcy along with a pony, Celine, in February 2024 and the pair quickly settled into their new home. Belying her advanced years, Darcy is still very spritely and loves to join her friends playing in the paddock.

“Our Darcy turned 32 this January and we love her so much,” says Anne. “I also have a third rescue horse from another charity and it’s wonderful to see Darcy, as a wise old lady, commanding respect in her little herd and leading with fairness and consistency. She is a regal matriarch.”

Reflecting on how she found rehoming, Anne shares, “It was a great experience and really I would hope it would become the norm, as there are so many animals out there, of all kinds, who need homes. When you rehome a rescue animal, you have a lot more idea about what you’re getting than you would when buying – I wouldn’t do anything else. You also have the safety net of knowing that if anything were to happen to you, the horse (or other animal) will have a safe place to go and their future is secure.”

If you feel inspired to rehome after reading Darcy’s story, please visit our rehoming pages where you can see all of our horses and ponies who are ready to find a loving new home.