Age no limit for Polo pony (From Free Press Series)

Age no limit for Polo pony

JANE Smith of Undy looks a gift horse in the face every day when she tends to Polo - possibly Wales' oldest working pony.

The 40-year-old Shetland Cross Welsh Mountain pony stands at just 11.2 hands. Every weekend he works with children aged from four to seven, who use him for riding lessons.

Jane bought Polo 12 years ago, after a lady read her advert in a local paper - looking to buy a pony for her daughter and her friend.

"He was bought for my daughter Emily, then seven-years-old, and her six-year-old friend Joanne. They shared him so they could learn to ride," said Jane.

"He was rescued from Wick near Bristol.

"A lady had rescued him after he was abandoned in a tiny paddock, in poor condition. "We nursed him for the best part of a year, until he was well enough to ride."

Today Polo works with four different families, but during the past nine years, since Emily stopped riding him, Polo has worked with 27 families, with a total of 34 children.

Jane said: "He was out on Boxing Day, raising funds of £85 for Tenovus.

"I will let Polo retire as and when he no longer enjoys it. Right now I think his health would deteriorate rapidly if he stopped working. At the moment he's enjoying working and its keeping him fit."