Al -18th May 1998 - No Big Deal – Chic Antique
Al has always been a laid back sort of horse and stands still when all around goes awry.We rehomed him and then he came back to us because he had the onset of navicular disease. Al is not in any kind of discomfort, he is not on medication and he now has a job. He is just the type of horse that can be easily used with the children. His equable temperament makes him invaluable, he is absolutely brilliant with them.We watched him on one occasion; he had small children milling around him, he was standing very awkwardly but withstood the discomfort without moving his feet for fear of treading on little toes.
Athletic Sam - 26th Feb 1998
- Definite Article – No Hard Feelings
Raced three times with one win. Sam came to us in 2001. He had originally been aimed for the St Leger but following a fracture to his sesamoids on the gallops, his owners asked us to have him to give him the best possible chance of a future career.
Deanos Beano - 11th Apr 1992 - Far North – Sans Dot
Ran 57 times, with a very successful career. In a career spanning eleven years, Deano’s Beeno had an excellent hurdles record of 11 wins, one of which was in Ascot’s Grade 1 Cantor Sport Long Walk Hurdle, beating the outstanding Baracouda on level weights and ending his run of 10 consecutive victories. Six of his hurdle wins were in Grade 2 events. A fast and fluent jumper, he was one of racing’s top staying hurdlers. In addition to multiple hurdle wins, he also won on the flat and over fences. He retired from racing in June 2004 and was gifted to Greatwood, possibly because of his renowned quirkiness.
Just Jim -1st Jan 1992 - Derring Rose – Crystal Run Vii
Ran 38 times, 4 – 1st, 5 places. Carl Llewellyn partnered Jim to his victories on a few occasions, one such race being the cross country at the Cheltenham Open Meeting. We had thought that Jim would be a straightforward horse to rehome; we rarely have National Hunt horses because following their racing careers they are relatively easy to rehome, and don’t often need charitable intervention. However, as luck would have it, Jim was not an easy case. He is a dear horse, albeit that he crib-bites for England. We learned that he had suffered a pretty nasty fall when racing, another horse had pole-axed into him and caused a bit of damage which we can’t satisfactorily resolve. Despite this setback he earns his keep by undertaking some work with the children, he is also inseparable from Tim, which keeps Tim settled and well. Jim, can on occasions, become a little fidgety but we recognise the signs, and in which case, we take the hint and leave him alone.
Leguard Express - 11th Mar 1988 -Double Schwartz – All Moss
Ran 42 times, 3-1st, 4 -2nd, 7- 3rd. Lee came to us because his elderly owner had been recently widowed and couldn’t look after him any longer. He is a bit like JK in that he is quite a small sort of horse. He is a self contained little chap; we thought that he had settled in quite well when he first arrived but we realised that is a bit of a worrier and we did struggle a bit with his weight for the first few months. Owing to his advancing years he is in our sanctuary, he does do a little bit of work with the children, but in the main he enjoys his retirement with us.
Montendre - 22nd May 1987 - Longleat – La Lutine
Ran 104 times, 11- 1st,15 -2nd, 17-3rd. Monty came to us when we were in Devon. He’d had the most fantastic career on the flat, winning the Dewhirst Rockingham at York as a two year old, followed by The Hopeful and The Hackwood amongst others. He took a bit of time to settle in with us, he wasn’t used to mixing with other horses and so it took a bit of time. We used to have take him out of the field to feed him each day because he was frightened of the other horses. Monty enjoys his retirement with us, he has settled enough now for us to to be able to use him for the children on some occasions. Other than that he is content to look after Runner and Eddy in the field and to make sure that the other horses don’t disturb them too much.
Paul Cass - 21st Apr 1995 - Green Adventure – Cuddly Date
Ran once. Paul arrived pretty much at the same time as Deano’s, I’m not quite sure why we originally thought that these two might hit it off, but hit it off they have, and five years on they are good pals, with only the occasional fracas when Deano’s gets over-exuberant. I have to say that the fracas invariably occurs just before Deano’s is booked to parade, we have lost count of the times that an inadvertent kick has resulted in a couple of stitches..usually in the most predominant place on Deano’s. We are always a bit amused that unlike the famous Deano’s, Paul’s only claim to fame is having come 15 out of 15 in his single race at Catterick. Paul is a great calmer for Deano’s. We have to feed Deano’s in the summer and he and Deano’s wait patiently for their breakfast and then immediately after breakfast they hive off to a shady corner for a snooze for a couple of hours. It is rather amusing because on occasions they will drop by the school for their nap and any shenanigans going on fail to rouse them from their slumbers. =
Potentate - 7th Mar 1991 - Capote – Gay Fantastic
Ran 58 times with 17 wins and 12 places. Probably Po’s remaining claim to fame was that he loved Chepstow and he won the Welsh Champion Hurdle on three consecutive years. Again, owned by The Late Jim Weeden, Po is the reason why Greatwood was mentioned in Jim’s Will. Po has been with us for over five years. We did ride him out when he first came to us but it was Jim’s particular request that Po should remain with us until the end of his days and so we thought that he may as well enjoy a well deserved retirement. Po is a really good horse to look after and despite his illustrious career over hurdles has never come up with any injury or problem. He is a self-contained horse and doesn’t have a particular pal, thus is fairly philosophical about where we stable him, he doesn’t care who is standing next to him. This is unlike some who throw a blue fit if a ‘best friend’ isn’t in the right place. About the only time that Po throws a bit of attitude is when he is in the field shelter. As far as he is concerned, the field shelter is his, and woe betide anyone that has the audacity to enter. To that end we have had to buy another one and now he runs between the two shooing the horses out.
Quixotry - 27th March 1991 - Risk Me (FR) – Grey Charter
We were asked to help Quix in 2006. We soon learned that he had too many problems for us to sort out for us to be able to rehome him as a riding horse. We rehomed him as a companion for a couple of years, he had a happy contented time until such time that his pal died at a ripe old age. Quix does feel the cold and the damp and he does rather hop about the fields, but as yet, apart from joint supplements, he is not any particular pain and therefore his welfare is not compromised in the least. He hasn’t really been back with us for long enough for us to make up our minds as to whether he could be used for Horse Power. When he returned to us, we put him in the post and rail fence along with a few other new horses. He didn’t take a blind bit of notice of his companions, the wily old chap had spotted that there were a few attractive mares in the adjacent field, he then spent many hours gazing at them winsomely. Of course, Bonty was more than happy to have a keen admirer.
Seek The Faith - 28th April 1989 - Pilgrim (USA) – Bundler (USA)
Ran 49 times with 7 wins and 13 places. We took on this fellow because his owner couldn’t afford to keep him any longer. He is a nice big sort of horse, he had been on his own prior to his arrival and he really enjoys the company of the other horses. We are hoping that given a little time that we may be able to use him for Horse Power but we will have to know a little more about him before we can risk him stepping out of line.
Seigneur Du Paus - 15th March 1991 - Bal du Seigneur (USA) – Dancing Lute
Raced 20 times, won 10 times and placed 4 times. Won the Swedish Derby. Mikko came to us at the age of 12 because his owners live abroad. We rehomed Mikko for a few years but his carers kept on moving him without informing us and we felt that to ensure his safe and secure future he should return to us. Mikko is a little arthritic now and therefore any further riding is out of the question but he has a happy and fulfilling life here, and we use him for Horse Power on occasions. He is a little high maintenance because he feels the rain so dreadfully therefore if there is a deluge in the summer we have to rush out and make sure that he has a rug. However, if we leave the coat on and he happens to get a little hot, he loses his hair at the drop of a hat.
Sunshine Boy - 11 y-o bay gelding - Cadeaux Genereux – Sahara Baladee (USA)
26 starts, 3 wins, 10 places. Robbie and Sue looked after Sunshine when he was in training with Emma Lavelle. He broke down when he was in training, his tendon was fired, he had 18 months off and went back into training. He then had five good races under his hat and then the tendon flared up again. It was then decided to retire him. Robbie and Sue looked after him for a couple or so years, they did a lot of work with him, but then had a bit of a job finding a home for him and asked us to take him in. We rehomed him for a short time but he didn’t settle and had to come back to us. He is now in the sanctuary and entertains us with his funny ways. We can always spot Sunshine when we go to the field. He is incredibly nosy and sticks his head up like a periscope so that he can see his visitors properly.
