From abandoned foal to star of This Esme’s latest video, Duke’s life has taken a happy turn.

SOMERSET, UK / AGILITYPR.NEWS / August 23, 2021 /

From abandoned foal to star of This Esme’s latest video, Duke’s life has taken a happy turn.  

A little dappled grey pony with a big personality has begun his new life with popular vlogger This Esme in style. The young 11hh Welsh Mountain pony starred in her latest video as he was collected from World Horse Welfare’s Glenda Spooner Farm Rescue and Rehoming Centre in Somerset. 

Esme produces weekly instalments tracking the triumphs and trials with her three horses, promoting riding, how to care for horses and welfare. Her YouTube channel has over 660 thousand subscribers and over 5 million views a month. Visiting World Horse Welfare’s Glenda Spooner Farm Rescue and Rehoming Centre in Somerset for a filming appointment, Esme fell in love with tiny Duke and, after applying for him through the charity’s online rehoming system, she received the happy news that Duke could join her at home.  

Esme said: “Duke is doing so well, he is really settled and happy in his new home and really likes the attention and cuddles he is getting as well as being a friend for my cremello pony Mickey, they are getting on great. When filming at GSF this little pony came up to me, had his face in the camera, and seemed to love the attention, he is an amazing little guy with a lot of character."  

Esme’s video charts her very early morning start and journey across to Somerset to pick him up and bring him home, and his introduction to her other horses (WATCH HERE), and it proved really popular, trending in YouTube's Top 20 slot! Duke is sure to appear in future videos and continue his film career, as he learns about the world and carries out his important role as companion for her other horses and Esme's next video shows what Duke got up to in his first week with her.   

Feisty little Duke was rescued as a foal in May 2020 after being abandoned at just a few days old, he was far too young to survive without his mother. He needed emergency veterinary treatment but after a couple of days was well enough to be taken to Glenda Spooner Farm by World Horse Welfare where the team there set about hand-rearing him and he recovered and continued to grow and, a year later, was ready for rehoming as a youngster.  

ENDS

Note to editors

For more information please call Su Delve on 01953 497248, 07826 871682 or email sudelve@worldhorsewelfare.org

About World Horse Welfare: Visit our website here: www.worldhorsewelfare.org

World Horse Welfare (Registered charity no: 206658 and SC038384), is an international horse charity that improves the lives of horses in the UK and worldwide through education, campaigning and hands-on care of horses. Since we were founded in 1927, our whole approach has been practical, based on scientific evidence and our extensive experience, and focused on delivering lasting change across the full spectrum of the horse world.

In the UK our dedicated network of Field Officers investigate and resolve welfare problems, and we run four Rescue and Rehoming Centres where horses in need can receive specialist care, undergo rehabilitation and find loving new homes through our rehoming scheme – the largest of its kind in the UK. Our international programmes alleviate the suffering of thousands of working horses by providing essential knowledge for horse owning communities in the developing world. We also work tirelessly to change legislation and attitudes to horse welfare through campaigns and education, including our founding campaign to end the suffering endured by the tens of thousands of horses transported long-distance across Europe to slaughter each year. We support the responsible use of horses in sport, and are independent welfare advisers to the Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI) and British Horseracing Authority (BHA).

World Horse Welfare relies on voluntary donations. Our supporters are our lifeblood and we always aim to fundraise in a caring and responsible way. Our fundraising activity is governed by the Fundraising Regulator but we also go much further to ensure our supporters feel valued and protected. Find out more at: http://www.worldhorsewelfare.org/our-pledge-to-supporters