Foll's Field Home For Life
Horses of the Past
Folly
Or to use his Sunday name, Old School Falstaff. The sweetest draught horse with the most lovable nature. Would chase anyone with a carrier bag in the hope that they might feed him. Taken from us far too soon a week before his 19th birthday. It was love at first sight for June when she first saw him as a foal still with his mother. He is our name sake as without him, June wouldn't have rescued Isis to be his companion and in turn, the many others that have since followed.
Isis
Isis was once an eventer until she took a bad fall and landed on her rider breaking both of his legs (through no fault of her own just an unfortunate accident). She was left put in a field to produce babies for around 12 years, her owner then decided he no longer wanted her and so John and June raised the money to buy her from him as a field companion for Folly who they had just moved to a new field. He was besotted by her as was little Flicka who joined the herd at a later date. She was in charge right until the very end, the whole herd would follow her anywhere (Folly and Flicka were even known to follow her across the river much to everyone's annoyance).
Flicka
Flicka was plucky little pony who lived to the grand old age of 44 despite everyone's doubts for many winters. He arrived with us in 2003 with his best bud, Bimbo, who was suffering from severe liver failure and had to be put to sleep. After mourning for his life long friend Flicka took one look at Isis, a huge white mare who from a distance with a squint may have looked a little like Bimbo who was also white but not huge at all, and chose to be her shadow for the rest of her days.
Trooper
Joined the herd in 2018 as a supposedly fairly healthy horse that could be ridden; this was soon proven this to be untrue. He was and still is the most injury prone horse we've ever known, he tried everything from simply getting an abscess to falling in to the canal to avoid being ridden. When he first came to us he and Willow were besotted by each other but since her passing to the rainbow bridge he joined forces with Annie and made her look even smaller that she actually is with his massive 16.3hh stature. Sadly in the late summer of 2020 we realised he was not himself as Trooper was the kindest, gentlest soul we ever met and he had begun to bite and kick which was so unlike him, after a trip to Oakham and visits from our own vet he still showed no improvement and so we had to make the heart breaking decision for him to join the others at rainbow bridge.
Charlie
Charlie was up for sale on ebay for a penny after suffering an horrific trailer accident when the car towing the trailer crashed, throwing him head first over the breast bar. It took two attempts, a good deal of sedalin and someone sitting in the back of the box with him to get him from Lincolnshire to us. However, despite being blind in one eye he lived out the rest of his days happily grazing alongside his best bud Guinness and was happy so long as there was food in his bucket and treats to hand.
Guinness
What else do you call a black and white Irish draught horse? A humongous 18hh who came to us when his owner emigrated to Canada, loved to rub his massive boney head on anyone who could withstand it. He was Charlie's best pal and guide until he went to Rainbow Bridge, then Guinness joined forces with Willow and Whisper, following them wherever the promise of food and a good scratch took them.
Willow
A gorgeous girlie who was definitely princess of the fields. She was an eventer in her past life and loved a good run though calmed down considerably in her later years. A total sweetheart who gave the best kisses and loved her boys, Whisper, Guinness and later on, Trooper.
Whisper
Whisper came to us on a Sunday in 2006 just 3 days before the owner's vet was due to put him to sleep because her husband had told her to get rid of the horses or he'd leave her. Whisper had a respiratory problem but nothing that couldn't be managed but, being older, he was not saleable and an online friend asked if we'd take him. He spent many years with us before succumbing to a severe case of colic. He was a lover of food and could get very protective of it but in his later years he could be found sharing a pile of hay with Willow who was definitly his love.
Pepper
The devil in disguise, gorgeous pony with a face like butter wouldn’t melt but we can assure you looks can be deceiving! He came to us when his owner had to have is field mate put down and he needed some new horsey companions. The day we released Pepper into the herd he scooted through the long grass, determined to take over control of the herd with all 10 hands of his being, he failed. This earned him the nickname of the Orange Maggot. He was adept at killing humans. He made it clear from the start that he wasn't to be ridden. There appeared to be no medical reason for this, it was just his choice. No matter what, Pepper could always manage to bite, butt or kick whoever was getting on his last nerve which wasn't hard but we loved him all the same.
Freya
Formerly known as Flicker but changed out respect for Flicka who was there first, first come and first served in the name front! Successor to Isis as lead mate and lost far too soon. As with all horses a total character who will forever be remembered for knocking Alec in to the canal!
Tom, Jack and Harry
These 3 boys were abandoned on the local nature reserve with Millie as a colts, one of them fell in to the canal and were rescued by the fire brigade who put them in our field. Though we are normally a home for life we sadly didn't have the space for these 3 nor could we give 3 such young horses the time they deserved. They were instead rehomed and went on to live in happy homes with wonderful people. Upon rehoming, Jack, the black colt became Fergus, Tom, the skewbald became Romeo and Harry, the piebald became Isiah.
Renee
This gorgeous girlie on stayed with us for a short time before moving on to live with one of our previous volunteers. Renee needed a temporary home whilst her owner found something more permanent. She was only young but had the most impeccable manners that we hope all the others took note from. She now lives in a happy home and enjoys jumping, eventing, cross country and long hacks out across the fields, a perfect life for the joyous girl that she is.
Harry
The handsomest ginger you ever did see, has problems with his spine and arthritis in his hocks meaning he’ll never be ridden again but still likes to trot and canter beautifully around the field to show us what we’re missing out on, he's even happy to jump with out a rider. Harry was a little over amorous with the ladies so needed a new home, alongside Silver and Bonnie he was with us for over a year until his wonderful owner found fields to reunite these 3 with her other pony, Star over in Rugby. Sharron is still very much part of the team and we like to count her 4 amazing horses as part of our herd (despite the miles between us).
Silver
So beautiful she's basically a unicorn but that's where the similarities end, her stubbornness and attitude is more alike to that of a mule! Silver lives in Rugby with Harry, she was surprise foal to Star. Sharron bought Star years ago as a riding pony and it turned out that it was buy one pony and get another free when Silver appeared a few months later.
Bonnie
We’re all a little bit crazy but my gosh, our Bon Bon put us all to shame! She was a horse of two sides, the sweet, gentle princess who could switched into a complete nutcase with next to no warning. We loved both sides of her though. Attached at the hips to Tay and in charge of everyone when she was in Leicester before moving back to Rugby. Bonnie sadly passed away in 2021. Look how pretty she was, we called her princess Bonnie for a reason!
Molly
Another pony who stayed with us for a time before going to a new home with a young girl where she could be given the time such a lovely, young pony deserves. Bought from travellers after she was tethered nearby and bullied by mean kids. Molly is a people pony who loved to seek out mischief, her favourite game being the one where she untied our bootlaces.
Libby Belle
Came with Jim in December 2020 from the Suffolk Punch Trust aged 13, her full posh name was Liberty Euston Belle and she was 17.3hh. Mostly known as Belle before coming to us we fell in love with Libby and everything about her. Prior to being with the Trust she had 2 foals at Euston Suffolk's, sadly she had a fall while pregnant with her second foal and tore off her hind meniscus. This caused her many problems and between that and her arthritic hips it means she couldn't have any more babies or be worked but here at Folls Field we're ok if a horse just wants to be a field ornament, they will be loved and cared for just the same, and what a gorgeous ornament she was. She lived out her last 8 months being pampered in the ways she deserved.