The yard and paddocks sit just below the wild landscape of Bodmin Moor, meaning at any moment stormy conditions can occur. As we caught up with founder Shelley Oldfield on what appeared to be a sunny morning, the clouds quickly gathered and we were hit by sudden rain showers - though Shelley and the ponies don’t mind: that’s just part of the job!

Shelley never expected to start a charity. In fact, with her traditional equine background, BMPR was founded by chance one day in 2014, when Shelley received an urgent request to take in four wild moorland ponies who were set to be put to sleep if a home couldn’t be found for them.

“I thought about it and I had a couple of extra stables, so I told them financially we could help one or two ponies for a couple of weeks while permanent homes were found for them,” Shelley said. “The day came and I got a phone call from them at about five o’clock in the afternoon, saying they had a few extra on board and asking if I could take them on temporarily. The lorry arrived and four completely feral, emaciated ponies jumped out, along with an unexpected foal who arrived a couple of weeks into our care.”

Weeks turned into months, and Shelley soon came to the conclusion that she would need to rehabilitate the ponies herself, while finding a way to fund their full-time care and health needs.

“It was a baptism of fire,” she explained. “We were helping these ponies who were terrified of people, but I couldn’t look away. I started a fundraising page and Bodmin Moorland Pony Rehabilitation was born.”

The charity has always remained small, with a firm focus on helping every pony that comes their way. “We didn’t want to grow because we would lose touch, and I just love being with the ponies,” Shelley continued. “We’re personal, and we show the good, the bad and the ugly.”

Since BMPR was founded in 2014, the charity has taken on 50 ponies from Bodmin Moor, Dartmoor and Exmoor, as well as victims of fly grazing, with Shelley leading a small, dedicated team made up of friends and family who do what they can to support her.

One pony we had the pleasure of meeting was Rebel, a handsome, cheeky boy who came striding over and immediately demanded butt scratches - his favourite. Rebel is one of the original ponies who came to Shelley that evening in 2014 and, while he’s still a little nervous around new people, has come a long way from the skinny pony that arrived ten years ago.

“It took Rebel a long time and a lot of hard work to get to where he is today,” Shelley said. “Because of various health issues, he will be with us for life. He’s the kindest, sweetest soul. The ponies have taught me so much about what they really need and want; I am constantly educating myself and my whole mindset has changed. We keep everything as holistic as possible and each pony has freedom of choice; no one gets stuck in a stable - they live as horses have evolved to live.”

Another resident pony is Skye, who came to BMPR aged nine months in 2015, along with her mum, Ruby, who sadly passed away a few days after their arrival. While Skye is a little more aloof than Rebel, she is a sucker for mints - and will nudge your arms and snuffle around your coat pockets to see if you might just have a little treat for her.

The freedom and enriched lives the ponies have today are a testament to Shelley and her volunteers’ hard work and dedication. The main aim of the charity is to rehabilitate and rehome each pony, but for those who aren’t suitable to rehome, they are given the chance to live their lives peacefully, freely and with plenty of love and cuddles from Shelley and her volunteers.

Now, the mission is on to expand the volunteer opportunities for the charity.

“We do this for the right reasons. We’re a small charity with limited resources, so we would love to find like minded volunteers who would like to join us,” Shelley said. “Winter is our busiest and hardest time. Feed is much more expensive at this time of year, and the mud is worse than ever. We do everything by hand; it’s long work, hard work and wet work. It’s unforgiving, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. By bringing volunteers in, I hope to be able to start workshops and would love to create a medicinal herb garden for our ponies, and for the community to use as a quiet space.

“Being out in nature has been so beneficial. The ponies have saved me so many more times than I have saved them, and they need more people around them.”

As Christmas approaches, why not consider pledging a donation to BMPR, or simply offer your time as a volunteer?

Volunteering opportunities include everything from admin and fundraising work, to mucking out and getting stuck in with the ponies. If you would like to volunteer, or donate some money to the charity, visit www.bodminmoorlandpony.org or email info@bodminmoorlandpony.org

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