‘The horse’s mouth’ blog: from the #TinyPonyAtYourWindow

By Whizz

Goodness, that’s me, and I’ve been asked to introduce our new monthly blog. Nobody could fill Prodney’s horseshoes, so we’ve decided to take it in turns. And this month it falls to me…

Back in the spring of 2020 when the Stables was shut and our participants not able to visit, we decided that we could still go to them, and I proudly became #TinyPonyAtYourWindow. Walking to different houses to say hello to friendly faces was my daily exercise too, and I was always greeted with delighted smiles. Did you know that I became a bit of a media star? This was a year before the really big fundraising dramas when the TV crews seemed to be visiting almost daily. And how many ponies can say they have their very own hashtag?

I’m Whizz, a Welsh Mountain pony, and yes I really am tiny. Because I’m so small, and very quiet, my other claim to fame is that I give many tiny children their first introduction to riding. Isn’t that special?

I take part in lots of unmounted activities with the tinies too, because the bigger ponies are giants compared to them and much more scary. And #TinyPonyAtYourWindow lives on in visits to care homes, except that now I’m able to go inside to see residents in lounges or wards. I wouldn’t fit through the doors if I was 15 hands tall!

My full name is Annie’s Whizz. I was named after a little girl who loved Park Lane and sadly died of meningitis in March 2020 at just 10 years old. This was soon after I arrived at Park Lane and it felt like such an honour to be chosen to bear her name. I want to make her proud by helping other little girls and boys.