19 February 2024

Ponies and People: "They are all our Boos"

Talita smiles as she cuddles Boo in his field.

This year at Redwings we are celebrating our Ruby Anniversary! We have been providing sanctuary care and promoting horse welfare - inside and outside our paddock fences - for 40 years.

To commemorate this milestone we are sharing stories with you every month of our longest serving residents and employees! This month we chatted with Talita Arantes, our Norfolk Operations Manager, about her journey with Redwings and her much-missed horsey best friend Boo. 

Blind Cyldesdale horse Boo stands with his head over his paddock fence.
Boo listening out for visitors in his paddock at Redwings HQ.

Who is Talita?

 

Talita has been at Redwings since 2012. With a background in biology and a love of animals she found herself applying for a horse care role. 

She recalls: “To tell you the truth I was afraid of horses when I first started. I thought they would kick me if I got too close! It took less than a week to realise it wasn’t like that and that horses had so much to teach me”. 

Since joining Redwings, Talita has been a manager at several of our sites before moving into her current position, so has seen a wide range of the work we do as a charity.

 

What does Talita do at Redwings?

 

As the Operations Manager, Talita oversees a variety of tasks from land and resource management, to transport, the nights team and farrier visits. As we are a charity, carefully managing our resources is essential to get the most out of what we have. 

One of the most crucial aspects of Talita's role is overseeing the maintenance, assessment and care of our land, and she looks into new solutions for protecting the ground from overgrazing. With over 1,500 horses, ponies, donkeys and mules inside the Sanctuary, ensuring the fields they graze on are able to rest is critical for our future"

She shared: “The most exciting part of my job is when my boss gives me a challenge and I need to find a solution. Especially when I can solve it by reusing something we already have!”

Queen Camilla speaks to Talita during her visit to Redwings in 2023.
Queen Camilla speaks to Talita during her visit to Redwings in 2023.

Talita’s most memorable moments

 

Having been with us for over 10 years, Talita has had many memorable moments! 

She said: “Meeting the Queen was a huge privilege! Some of my other highlights are seeing horses I have cared for being rehomed. Being a part of that process to give them a second chance is so special. 

"One thing that amazes me about Redwings is how invested they are in teaching their staff and making everyone better. I even joke that I saved Dhansak’s [one of our small ponies] life because, thanks to my training, I was able to spot he didn’t look quite right, and hours later he was rushed to the Horse Hospital”.

Working with horses comes with its challenges; rain or shine, flooding or snow our horses are reliant on their carers. However, Talita added: “You go home at the end of the day knowing you made a difference that day, you have changed lives.” 

Boo stands with his head over his stable door.
Boo in his stable looking out for his next cuddle.

A constant companion

 

Talita recalls: “Boo was a big part of my learning in those early days. I remember being told I was going to learn to pick out a horse’s feet one day, and as someone who was very nervous, being brought to a big horse like Boo was scary! His feet were the size of dinner plates! 

"But he was so patient and kind. It felt like he was saying I depend on you to care for me, I need you to be kind to me and I’ll be kind to you. From then he was a constant presence in my life. He would follow me around his field just to be with me. He enjoyed being around us, he had every reason not to, but he did.”

Being a large horse, as Boo aged he began to experience lameness which meant receiving more treatments and spending time in stables. 

Boo was the perfect gentleman and remained his usual happy self in a stable as long as he had his friend by his side – and lots of cuddles from his carers! Talita would always be there to help when Boo needed to be moved, and their friendship continued to blossom.

Being blind, Boo needed special considerations to help him understand his environment. While many of the horses at Redwings move paddocks depending on the season or for health and social needs, Boo and his friend remained on a set few paddocks that he knew well. 

One of these paddocks borders the offices at Redwings HQ where Talita now works. She said: “When I started working in the offices, I still visited him every single day. We would have a cuddle every morning, and I could see him through the window from my desk."

Talita stands next to Boo in his paddock looking up at his face.
Talita and Boo were close friends for many years.

Saying goodbye to Boo

 

We unfortunately lost Boo in December 2021 when it became impossible to manage his lameness any further.  

Being such a close friend of Boo’s, Talita stayed with him for his final day. She remembers: "That was the hardest day, but also you could see how much that pony was loved. 

"I spent the day with him, giving him cuddles and treats. Everyone came to see him! The farm staff, the maintenance team, the mechanics, the warehouse team and the people working in the offices. Everyone came to say thank you to Boo."

While our hearts ache at his loss, we are overjoyed to have given him 12 very happy years at the Sanctuary. 

His incredible story of resilience and kindness was told in a special animation released the year before Boo passed. 

 

They are all our Boos

 

Providing specialist, lifelong care for horses like Boo - and Snuffles from the last Ponies and People blog – is what we do here at Redwings. 

As stated by Talita: "We don’t just do this for Boo, we have done it for over 5,500 horses, donkeys, ponies and mules. They are all our Boos and they all deserve a chance."

Georgia standing with donkey Wiggins

Georgia Precious

Communications Officer

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An image of a pony's ears with the Redwings 40 year logo

Support Redwings

At Redwings we are responsible for over 2,000 rescued horses, donkeys, ponies and mules, no matter their care needs. However, we are only able to do this thanks to the generosity of our supporters! 

Whether you have supported us for 40 years or 40 minutes, thank you for providing horses like Boo with a safe home for life.

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