We said a very sad farewell today to Casper our lovely Shetland pony. He has been with the group since 2003 and has been a wonderful driving pony, much loved by everyone. We had a retirement party with tea and cakes and tissues for the inevitable tears.
As a wonderful surprise, Nikki commissioned Chris Meredith, a poet, to write a poem reflecting Casper's life with the group and how much he means to us all. Chris came and read the poem to us, which is shown below. Here's a link to Chris's published poems: Words of My Life
The good news is that Casper is going to the Horse Trust at Speen where he will be very well looked after and where we will be able to visit him.
Casper
© Chris Meredith 2017
He was found in a garden shed, unloved and neglected
An unwanted gift, full of lice and unprotected
Taken in and cared for by the British Horse Society
And loaned to our group in 2003
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He has spent fourteen years with us, everyone a joy
He treats us all the same - whether you are man, woman, girl, or boy
He is only 10 hands high but his heart is bigger still
He is stoic and gentle and possesses a competitive will
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He has been driven by wheelchair members on the Ascot Racecourse
Mingled with Royalty though a pony, not a horse
He is patient, gentle and kind to the vulnerable and disabled
For him they are all the same - not people to be labelled
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He is a grey Shetland pony with a heart of gold
And soon he will be retiring as he is getting old
His aches and pains will welcome the chance to rest
Then he can look back at a life with us that was cherished and blessed
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Once at Speen he will no doubt find a favourite post
Then he will rub his face on it and scratch his itchy nose
It is not goodbye, he is only up the road, not very far
So please go and visit him, our retiring, handsome Casper!
