Icky arrived at Redwings in 1991 after being rescued from a horse sale where he was destined for slaughter. His real name was Haw Idris, a special name given to him when he was born and registered with the Spotted Pony Society.

Despite his sought-after status, Icky was discovered extremely thin, with a severe worm burden and terrified of people. But thanks to specialist and sympathetic behaviour training from his carers at Redwings, Icky soon overcame his fears. His friendly and loving manner (and famous strawberry blonde beard and tail) made him a huge hit with visitors to the Sanctuary and he quickly became a Redwings Adoption Star!

Icky moved to our Caldecott Visitor Centre when it opened in 1999, and had lived there ever since. He stole the hearts of many supporters during the man years he served as an Adoption Star, with the last four years spent as a retiree.

Sadly, Icky was put to sleep in 2018 after suffering recurring bouts of colic linked to issues with his small intestine that meant he was unable to absorb glucose and nutrients efficiently. He was 30-years-old.

We’ll never forget this handsome and friendly chap, and we know you won’t either. RIP Icky.

Rusty was on the Redwings Adoption Club right from its inception, and he passed away in 2014 at the grand age of 31.

He had originally been rescued by Redwings from Watton Horse Sale where he had been found in very poor condition and suffering from a severe worm burden.

He was a very friendly pony who loved cuddles so once he had recovered we knew he’d make a perfect adoption star! He lived at Redwings Caldecott for many years where he built a loyal band of fans and supporters who loved his cheeky trick of begging for treats!

Rusty sadly developed arthritis and PPID and when he started to go downhill we knew it was time. We still miss this beautiful boy and we know so many of you will too. Forever in our hearts.

Denise was a very cheeky skewbald donkey, who was rescued in 1996 as a week-old foal. Her mother had developed mastitis and was unable to feed her so the veterinary nurses and centre staff took in it turns to bottle feed her morning, noon and night.

As you can see, she grew-up to be a happy donkey who certainly made her presence known at her home at Redwings Caldecott!

Unfortunately, as she grew older, Denise began to struggle to maintain her weight following a diagnosis of Cushing's disease and and had issues with her teeth. Despite treatments and lots of TLC, her condition took a sudden downturn in 2018 and she was sadly put to sleep. We'll never forget this characterful little donkey.

Gorgeous Finnegan was originally rescued from London by the RSPCA in 1996 along with two friends, Henry and Splash. All three had been neglected and were extremely thin but they soon made a full recovery here at Redwings.

This beautiful coloured cob was retired from the adoption scheme in 2014 as he had been diagnosed with arthritis but he had been coping well, however in summer 2015 he really started to go downhill and his carers were getting very worried about him as despite maximum pain medication he still seemed very uncomfortable and was isolating himself from his friends. In the end our vet team felt they had no choice but to put him to sleep to ensure he did not suffer.

Despite his tough start in life, Finnegan was an incredibly sweet chap who won over all our hearts with his gentlemanly manners, as well as his very handsome feathers!

He joined the Adoption Club at Redwings Stonham in Suffolk, and then moved to Redwings Ada Cole in Essex. We are devastated to lose this very special chap and we know you will be too.

Albert, a handsome black cob, arrived as a helpless foal. He was rescued from slaughter from the back of a dealer’s lorry after sadly losing his sight in one eye. 

Albert was a much-loved member of Redwings’ Adoption Club and he gained many adoring fans during his time on the scheme. Albert was known for his striking appearance and his glossy black coat.

After many happy and healthy years living at Redwings, Albert sadly passed away in 2002 as he had been suffering from severe peritonitis; an inflammation of the thin tissue that lines the inner wall of the abdomen. 

Albert was a true star and a wonderful horsey friend to his many fans; he’s missed by so many! We are very thankful that we were able to rescue handsome Albert when he was so young and provide him with many years of happiness at our Sanctuary.

Tufty the donkey was lucky enough to start his life at Redwings from day one; however Tufty’s mother, Molly, was a lot less fortunate. She was rescued and brought to Redwings after she had been found in terrible condition with overgrown feet, but luckily she received the best care and attention whilst here at Redwings and she soon recovered.

Tufty was born a healthy little foal. He had beautifully kind eyes and always wore a cheeky smile upon his face. Towards the end of Tufty’s time on the Adoption Scheme he was nicknamed “The Royal” by his carers, as he was quite a demanding character!

In his later years, Tufty had a few problems with his liver and developed arthritis. He was given special medicine to help him with his problems, which improved things for a short while, but as he got older his problems worsened and so he was sadly put to sleep in 2010 after over 20 years at the Sanctuary. Tufty was much loved and is still very much missed.

Beautiful Darcey was a stunning dapple-grey mare who had not had a happy life before she came to Redwings.

Found by Customs and Excise officers, Darcey was being travelled to and from mainland Europe as a cover for drug trafficking. No horse should be used for criminal activities, but Darcey was especially unfortunate to have fallen into the wrong hands as she was suffering from pain in her legs due to poor conformation and an untreated knee injury.

Redwings brought five year old Darcey into the caring home she needed in 2004. Our vet performed surgery to repair some of the damage to her knee and this lovely mare was able to start enjoying life again! Darcey moved to Caldecott where the flat fields were kind to her legs and she could enjoy lots of attention.

Darcey spent seven years at Redwings before the legacy of her early life caught up with her. She developed arthritis in her damaged joints and eventually our vets were unable to control the pain. We knew the kindest option was to put Darcey to sleep to ensure she did not start to suffer again and we sadly lost this lovely mare in 2011.

Rhadlon was a wonderfully charismatic pony. He was rescued from appalling neglect in 2002 after being shut in stable for four years. The stable had never been cleaned out so Rhadlon was standing on years’ worth of solid muck.

Rhadlon was underweight, suffering from muscle wastage and had horribly overgrown and rotting hooves.

Despite the prolonged misery Rhadlon had endured, in the caring hands of our team he soon blossomed into a happy, handsome chap who just loved sticking his tongue out! Entertaining as it was to see Rhadlon in action, we knew his funny ways were almost certainly habits he had learnt to help pass the endless days in confinement.

Thanks to Redwings, for 12 happy years Rhadlon enjoyed the freedom to exercise, graze and always be in the company of other horses. He was a real favourite with staff and visitors to Redwings Ada Cole.

Very sadly, we lost Rhadlon in 2014 when he suffered a serious illness called colic. He was 25 years old and even as an elderly pony he had still been winning the hearts and putting a smile on the faces of everyone who met him.

Handsome bay Shire Prince came to Redwings in 2008 from a nature reserve where he had lived after retiring from working as a log-pulling horse.

He went to live at Redwings Caldecott in Norfolk, where his gentle and friendly nature - and love of pulling funny faces - made him a hugely popular Adoption Star. Prince loved being around people and would always come over to the fence for cuddles and a scratch!

In his last year Prince had a flare-up of recurring problems with his left hind leg, which we think were caused by all the hard work he did before he came to Redwings. He retired from the Adoption Scheme and came to live at Redwings HQ in Norfolk, where he lived in a sunny field with his friend Queenie and continued to enjoy many visits from his loyal fans.

Prince sadly passed away in 2014 after a severe deterioration in his condition. We still miss this gentle giant very much and we’re sure many of you do too.

Oliver Twist arrived at Redwings in 1997, after he was rescued from a horse sale in Nottingham by a Redwings supporter. Oliver had a condition called a “wry” nose, which meant his face was slightly twisted - hence his name! This condition never seemed to bother him, but he was unable to wear a bit and bridle so he could not be ridden, which sadly meant he was at huge risk of being sold for slaughter.

This cheeky pony moved to our Caldecott visitor centre in Norfolk when it opened in 1999, and had lived there ever since. He also stole the hearts of many supporters during the 17 years he served as an Adoption Star, with the last four years spent as a retiree.

In 2018, while still in reasonable health for his age, Oliver suffered a very sudden and severe seizure which he failed to recover from and Redwings’ vets had to make the heart-breaking decision to put him to sleep. He was 26 years old.

We’ll never forget this handsome and friendly chap, and we're so thankful for the support of his adopters which allowed us to give him a full and happy life at Redwings.

Adorable Harry Potter was one of 42 Shetlands rescued in 2002. The group had been living like wild ponies in Devon and Harry was a stallion with his own herd of mares and foals when he arrived!

Harry was not used to human contact when he was rescued but with careful handling he soon learnt to trust people and to enjoy a good fuss from his fans! He was never far from his best friend Frodo, who also came to Redwings as one of the Devon Shetlands.

Harry had a condition called recurrent airway obstruction (RAO), which affected his breathing – a condition similar to asthma in humans – and he sometimes needed veterinary treatment to help his lungs to function correctly.

Like many horses, Harry developed arthritis in his joints in later life and received medication to keep him comfortable. Arthritis cannot be cured however, and eventually the condition could not be managed and Harry began to show signs of being less happy in himself. We knew there was nothing else that could be done to help him and very sadly we had to say goodbye to this sweet chap in May 2014.

Shetland pony Dayzee was just a foal when she arrived at Redwings Mountains, after she spent two days travelling to the sanctuary from Norwich.

She was born with a debilitating hip condition, which meant her hips easily dislocated, and her owners were worried they couldn’t provide the specialist care she would need. But with close monitoring and lots of TLC, Dayzee grew up into a happy and healthy pony.

Dayzee sadly passed away suddenly in 2023 after becoming very uncomfortable on her legs. She was 12 years old.

Little Polly was rescued in 1984 after a distressing start to her life. She was born on Dartmoor, where she spent her days as a foal roaming freely as a wild pony.

One day, poor Polly was separated from her mother and put in an auction with many other terrified ponies, many of whom were being sold for slaughter. Polly was sold to a dealer and then to a lady, who had no experience of looking after a wild pony and kept her permanently tethered without another horse or pony in sight.

After being rescued, Polly’s life transformed at Redwings; she was able to live in a herd again, as she had done on the moors. Polly blossomed from a nervous little pony into a friendly pony (with a few cheeky tendencies) making her the perfect next addition to our Adoption Scheme.

Polly spent the rest of her days living peacefully at our Sanctuary, however with old age she developed chronic arthritis and an incurable condition called Cushing’s disease. Sadly, no amount of treatment was improving Polly’s condition and she was put to sleep in 2006.

Polly was a true star and we are so glad she was able to spend the majority of her years living with us at Redwings. 

Misfit was rescued by the Ada Cole team in 2001 after being found as a young stallion in very poor condition and in much need of good food, veterinary treatment and kind handling.

Misfit was a traditional cheeky Shetland and had lots of character! He was a lovely ‘tricolour’ with dark brown and white patches and a black mane and tail.

As a Shetland we had to watch Misfit’s weight carefully to make sure he didn’t become too large, but he was always on the lookout for any extra titbits of food or ways he could get to that nice green grass on the other side of the fence!

We very sadly lost Misfit in 2013 when the arthritis in his back legs became so severe that our vets could no longer keep him comfortable. Misfit had been a real favourite with staff and visitors, and we still miss this cheeky chappy very much.

Mighty Major was a big friendly giant who loved attention! At 17.3hh he was also the tallest resident at the Sanctuary. 

Major was a very handsome and engaging chap who came to Redwings when the rare breeds country park where he lived was forced to close. He loved people - especially cuddles - so was a hugely popular Adoption Star.

Very sadly, Major was retired from the Adoption Scheme in 2017 and passed away in 2019 due to chronic lameness issues and worsening ataxia (lack of coordination in his limbs). We'll never forget this very special boy.

Heroic Will Scarlett came to Redwings in 2004 having worked in the Nottingham Mounted Police.

Will was fantastic at his job, often helping Nottingham Forest football fans travel safely home after matches! However, at just eight-years-old, Will began to suffer from some lameness problems so was offered a place to enjoy his retirement at Redwings.

Will was one of the first residents of Redwings Oxhill, where his love of meeting people shone through. The dashing shire cross formed a long-term friendship with cob Oliver and the two spent many happy hours roaming their paddock and welcoming visitors (in exchange for cuddles, of course!).

Sadly, in 2012, Will was diagnosed with a very serious and life-threatening form of colic. Although they did everything they could for him, our vets were sadly unable to save him.

While we were shocked to lose Will so suddenly, we will always be grateful to have given him the peaceful retirement he deserved for so many years.

Ben the adorable Shetland arrived at Redwings in 1985 as a foal, after a group of kind Redwings’ supporters rescued him from a local fair.

Ben was being raffled off for 50p a ticket to the public in aid of another charity; but being so small he was in danger of ending up as a ‘lawnmower’ in somebody’s back garden, which often happens to small ponies and Shetlands.

Thanks to the incredible group of supporters, Ben was offered a permanent home at our Sanctuary, where he met his best friend, Benjamin (very confusing!). Benjamin and Ben were typical cheeky Shetlands, and loved to cause havoc! Playing tricks on their carers was one of their favourite pastimes!

Towards the end of his days, Ben developed a very serious condition called Cushing’s disease along with arthritis. Ben was retired from the scheme and lived another ten happy years before he was eventually put to sleep in 2010. We all miss little Ben but we know he is resting well.

Wensley was a very cute Miniature Shetland pony who was rescued from land in Lincolnshire in 2004, along with 71 other ponies. He and his friends were all named after types of cheese! 

All the ponies we rescued that day had not been receiving the care they needed, and many were very nervous of people, but Wensley and his friends soon realised that we were here to help, and became the friendliest little ponies you could ever meet!

Wensley went onto become an Adoption Star and lived at Redwings Oxhill, near Banbury, in Warwickshire, with his girlfriend Tilly.

Sadly, at the start of 2020, poor Wensley passed away very unexpectedly having been unable to recover from severe and sudden bouts of colic. We'll never forget this cheeky little pony. RIP Wenlsey.

Cheeky Choccy, our charming chocolate coloured donkey, arrived at Redwings in 1991 and very quickly became a favourite with visitors to Redwings Ada Cole.

Choccy could be spotted thanks to the striking black stripes around his legs (just like those seen on an endangered species found in Africa), but also by the loudness of his bray! He was famously known for shouting "hello" to anyone who called his name loud enough!

His mischievous and inquisitive nature won Choccy many fans, and he was chosen as the face of the Redwings’ Christmas card in 2010. He was a dedicated partner-in-crime to his best friend Jake and fellow Adoption Star Louie, and they could always be relied upon to get into the odd scrape or two!

His friends provided him with much happiness and encouragement in his later life as, unfortunately, his eye sight began to deteriorate and he suffered from arthritis. Sadly, we lost Choccy in 2014, aged 29, but our fond memories of this spirited little donkey live on.

Adorable little Rocky had a tragic start to his life before he was rescued and brought to live at Redwings.

When he was a few months old he was living happily on the Shetland Isles, where he roamed freely with other young foals and returned to his mother when he pleased. One day Rocky and the other foals were rounded up and separated from their mothers and sold for only a few pounds. Rocky and the other poor foals endured an awful 14 hour journey across the sea to Aberdeen, where they were loaded onto a horse lorry packed with 40 horses and began a 2 week journey to Northern Ireland.

Whilst travelling the ponies received no food or water and so they became very weak and ill. Rocky was sold at a market and in the space of four weeks he’d had eight owners. He returned to the market to be sold again on the verge of collapse, with a dislocated back from being ridden too young, but luckily for Rocky he was rescued.

When Rocky was able to stand again, he was brought to his new home at Redwings. Rocky was a true star, and made a fantastic Adoption pony because he was so friendly and loved humans.

Unfortunately after 15 happy years at Redwings, Rocky had to be put to sleep in 2007 as he was suffering from arthritis and Sacroiliac disease; a high impact trauma in the sacroiliac joint which was probably a result of Rocky being ridden when he was only six months old.

Handsome Sydney lived with us his whole life having been born at Redwings Caldecott in 1989 after his mum Christobel was rescued while in foal.

Statuesque Sydney, identified by his dark bay colouring and little white star on his face, was extremely friendly and lapped up all of the affection poured onto him by his loving supporters. In fact, he wasn’t just greedy for attention – he was known for his large appetite and had to undergo a weekly weigh-in to make sure he didn’t pile on the pounds!

Keeping a check on his weight helped ease the discomfort in his hind legs caused by arthritis. Sadly, arthritis cannot be cured and his condition progressed with age causing him increasing pain. Sydney sadly passed away in 2009, aged 19.

Sydney is greatly missed by all of his supporters, but we’re so pleased we were able to give this beautiful horse such a happy and fulfilled life.

Lovely donkey Louie came to live at the Ada Cole Memorial Stables in 1983 when he was four years old. His previous owner had simply lost interest in him and Louie was showing signs of loneliness and neglect.

He soon felt better thanks to the Ada Cole team and was rehomed to a caring Guardian who had another donkey called Barney. Louie and Barney quickly became inseparable and the two pulled a small cart together around the area where they lived!

Years later, when Louie’s Guardian became too old and frail to care for the donkeys, Louie returned to Ada Cole and Barney came too! Donkeys bond very strongly and it would have been unkind to separate them. Louie became an Adoption Star, and he and Barney were a big hit with our supporters.

We unfortunately lost Barney in 2007 when he was 34 years old. Louie lived with his other donkey friends until he became ill in 2010 and we very sadly had to say goodbye to this elderly gentleman too.

Gulliver and his mother Cinders were rescued by the RSPCA when Gulliver was just a few days old. They had been abandoned and left to fend completely for themselves.

Cinders was very thin, using what energy she had to provide milk for Gulliver and so she became severely malnourished. The RSPCA asked Redwings if both Cinders and Gulliver could have a permanent home at the Sanctuary. 

Gulliver was incredibly friendly; in fact he proved so popular with visitors during a special preview weekend before Redwings Aylsham opened to the public in 2012 that he was placed immediately on the Redwings Adoption Scheme!

Very sadly, Gulliver passed away suddenly in 2023 following a rare pneumonia-type infection, aged 17. He is very much missed by all.

Pepper was an eye-catching member of the Redwings Adoption Scheme, who sadly passed away in 2004 due to a twisted gut.

Pepper was rescued as a youngster and came to the Sanctuary in 1984, after he had been left to fend for himself by his owner who selfishly discontinued his care. Luckily Redwings learned of Pepper’s misfortune and offered him a home.

During his time with us, Pepper joined our special Adoption Scheme and built a rather large fan club! We miss you lots, Pepper!

Dylan came to Redwings in 2003 after he was found, painfully thin, wandering the Welsh commons. He was born with a condition known as “locking stifles” which made it very difficult to move about to find food.

At the Sanctuary, he received all the extra special care he needed to live a happy and fulfilling life, and became an Adoption Star in 2004 when he moved to our Warwickshire visitor centre, Redwings Oxhill. After 14 years’ service, Dylan retired from the scheme in 2018 after he began to experience persistent and worsening lameness.

Very sadly, despite the best efforts of our vets, it became clear that we were no longer able to keep him comfortable and the heart-breaking decision was made to put him to sleep in January 2019.

Everyone was truly devastated at the loss of this treasured little pony. RIP Dylan, we will never forget you.

Katy lived at Redwings Stonham visitor centre in Suffolk before moving to Redwings Ada Cole where she met her best friend Khan and the two were pretty much inseparable from then on!

She was rescued in 1996 when she and three companions were found suffering from serious neglect. Katy had an open wound at the top of her tail that had been left untreated and become infected. Around six years old when she was found, Katy was very nervous of people, but with kind and patient handling, she soon learnt to trust humans and enjoy the interaction she had with Redwings staff and visitors.

Katy developed arthritis as she got older, which is very common in horses. She was monitored carefully by Redwings horse care staff and our vets and given medication to help her joints. Sadly arthritis cannot be cured and eventually medication could no longer keep her comfortable so the heart-breaking decision was made to put her to sleep.

Everyone at Redwings was very sad to lose such a sweet-natured pony and we knew that the many people who adopted and visited Katy missed her as much as we did.

When she was young Dolly fell into a ditch and was stuck for three days before being rescued. During her ordeal she sustained injuries requiring urgent veterinary care, but her owner was unable to pay for treatment.

The vet approached Redwings Ada Cole for help and thanks to the charity’s intervention, Dolly received the treatment she needed and a secure home for the rest of her life.

Dolly was retired from the Adoption Scheme in 2020 shortly after her 25th birthday and passed away in March 2023. She remains one of our longest serving Adoption Stars with over 10 years on the Scheme.

Lovely Cauli was found heartlessly abandoned in a cauliflower field, hence her name. She was standing over the body of a friend who had sadly passed away. 

Cauli had a severe eye injury and was extremely nervous. When she was brought to Redwings, she had surgery to remove her poorly eye and with lots of TLC she soon became a  lovely and friendly pony!

Unfortunately, Cauli begun to experience ongoing lameness and it was decided she should retire from the Adoption Scheme in 2019.

Sadly, despite the best efforts of our vets and carers, her condition deteriorated and x-rays revealed some major and irreversible changes inside her hooves. It became obvious that we could no longer keep her comfortable, so we had to make the heart-breaking decision to put her to sleep to ensure she did not suffer. She passed away in 2021, aged 17.

Willow, the stunning Appaloosa, came to Redwings in 1991 after we had rescued him from a small piece of land in Great Yarmouth, where he was being used to pull a carriage up and down the seafront.

Willow was tethered on a small and unfenced patch of grass beside the main road; his water supply was unreliable and he was in poor condition. Redwings received many calls from the public who were concerned about Willow’s welfare, and so we offered him a permanent home here at the Sanctuary.

Once Willow had fully recovered he joined our Adoption Scheme and he lived blissfully at Redwings Caldecott centre with his pals, Dribbles and Albert, and his very special girlfriend, Isabel.

Willow was perfectly suited for the Adoption Scheme as he loved fuss, cuddles and being centre of attention! Sadly this gorgeous boy was put to sleep in 2007 after he had been suffering with stiffness from his arthritis.

Willow had a wonderful life at Redwings, where he made many friends; the horsey kind and the human kind!

Before Welbeck came to live at Redwings, Welbeck had a busy career as a Police horse and he was actually on duty during the 1989 Hillsborough disaster. He was emotionally traumatised by the experience, which sadly meant he was unable to continue his active life as a Police horse.

We were contacted by his owners who requested our help with his re-homing and we couldn’t resist offering handsome Welbeck a place at our Sanctuary! He lived happily for thirteen years at Redwings and during that time he was a special member of our Adoption Scheme.

His experience working as a Police horse meant that he was incredibly friendly and relished the attention he received from his loyal supporters. At the age of 22, Welbeck had developed arthritis which was becoming increasingly more difficult and uncomfortable for him, so he sadly had to be put to sleep in 2003.

Welbeck was a true star and we are grateful to have been able to take care of such a magnificent horse!

Unfortunately Sam had an incredibly dipped back which meant that he was unsuitable as a ridden horse. But luckily for him we were unable to refuse such a handsome chap, so we offered Sam a permanent home at Redwings!

He became an adored member of Redwings Adoption Scheme and spent his days meeting and greeting his visitors at Redwings Caldecott visitor centre. Sam was a true star and even appeared on an episode of Pet Rescue!

During his time at Redwings, Sam sadly developed a painful disease which affects a horse’s lower legs, called mud fever. Our vets nursed and treated Sam’s mud fever, but mud fever is incredibly difficult to treat and so his condition didn’t improve as much as we had hoped. Sam also developed arthritis which caused him a lot of discomfort, so it was decided that the only way to prevent his suffering was to put him to sleep.

Sam was a true sweetheart and he is greatly missed by many.

Poppy the stunning Shire horse came to Redwings when her mum sadly passed away on Christmas Eve and left her all alone. She became very sad and desperately missed horsey company, so her worried owners if we could offer her a home at Redwings, where they knew she would never be lonely again.

Poppy spent four very happy years living at our Caldecott Visitor Centre, where she struck up a special friendship with fellow Shire horse Gemma. Poppy and Gemma were inseparable and were also identical; they could only be told apart by Poppy's mismatching white socks!

Poppy also made many human friends too. She was incredibly popular among the Redwings care teams and visitors alike, especially as she adored cuddles and would delight her fans with her funny tricks.

Very sadly, and very suddenly, in 2017 Poppy passed away. One evening, her carers noticed she was showing signs of colic – stomach pain that can be a symptom of something very mild or extremely serious, as it sadly was in Poppy's case.

Poppy received pain medication and colic treatment, but when her condition worsened she was taken straight to our horse hospital for surgery. Upsettingly, the severity of the colic meant she was simply too ill to survive the anaesthesia and she passed away before we could operate.

Poppy's loss was deeply felt, but we will never forget this wonderfully stunning and friendly girl.

Lovely skewbald donkey Felicity arrived at Redwings in 1990 with her mum Jerina. They had been rescued in Ireland by a charity there and Redwings offered the pair a permanent, caring home to help the charity carry on rescuing more horses and donkeys in need.

Felicity was just a foal when she made the journey from Ireland to Norfolk. She soon settled into her new home and was adored by all the Redwings staff and supporters – who can resist a donkey foal?!

Felicity was chosen as an adoption donkey and went to live at Redwings Oxhill when the centre opened its gates in 2005. She and her best friend Glasgow loved meeting visitors and showing them how very special donkeys are! Felicity also discovered that being an Adoption Star means lots of extra attention as well as birthday parties involving ginger biscuit treats!

It was very sad news in 2013 when our vets discovered that Felicity had developed several large tumours. Our dedicated vet team did everything they could but the time came when unfortunately we had to say goodbye to this beautiful long-eared lady who had lived at Redwings for almost all of her 23 years.

Beautiful Boo was an elegant Arab horse who was rescued in 2002. He was one of six horses who were found in terrible condition by the RSPCA and brought into the Ada Cole Memorial Stables (prior to the charity's merger with Redwings) to receive the care they badly needed. Boo’s owner was prosecuted and banned for life from keeping any more horses.

Although he was only eight years old when he arrived, Boo was quite nervous after his ordeal and not suitable for rehoming. He was happiest living in a familiar environment with his horsey friends and being adored by the Ada Cole staff and visitors!

Arabs are very beautiful, with their dished faces, athletic bodies and expressive tail which is held high in the air when they get excited! But it was not only his handsome looks that made Boo such a popular addition to the Adoption Scheme; he also had a lovely nature and liked a bit of fuss when he wasn’t feeling shy.

We sadly lost Boo in 2011 when he was diagnosed with kidney failure. He had enjoyed nine happy years with the Ada Cole team and Boo is still very much missed by the staff and his many faithful supporters.

Adoption star Bonnie was a beautiful black Shire, who stood at 17hh with a small white patch on her tummy. She arrived at Redwings in 1989 along with her beautiful mother, Jessie, who was also on our Adoption Scheme.

Jessie was rescued from what would’ve been a tragic fate and was offered a permanent home at Redwings with her daughter. When Bonnie was a little older and had fully settled into her new home at our Sanctuary, she became a member of Redwings Adoption Club, along with many other equines who had been chosen specially. Bonnie was a perfect Adoption star because she loved the fuss and attention that came with the role!

Sadly in 2005 Bonnie was put to sleep at the age of twenty due to her suffering of arthritis, a condition which is very common in older equines.

Bonnie was a true gentle giant who had many treasured fans and she’s deeply missed by all who knew her, but thankfully she is free from pain and discomfort.

Popular Muffin the mule was part of the Redwings Adoption Scheme for 36 years and generations of families sponsored him throughout the years.

Muffin was rescued with his pony mother, Doris, in 1987 when he was only a few days old. Unfortunately, Doris passed away from a stomach ulcer soon after they arrived at Redwings but thanks to the care of Redwings staff and the four-legged friends he had already made at the Sanctuary, Muffin overcame his grief and became an Adoption Star. 

He was formally retired from the Scheme in 2017, shortly after his 30th birthday. In later life, Muffin was diagnosed with Cushing's disease (PPID), which made him prone to a painful hoof condition called laminitis. These conditions became harder to manage as Muffin progressed with age and he sadly put to sleep in 2023 when it became apparent we could no longer keep him comfortable.

Thank you Muffin for being the most wonderful ambassador for the Adoption Scheme. We will never forget you.