Always the bridesmaid: rescued cob who watched others be rehomed stars at her new owner’s wedding

A rescued cob who may have felt she was always the bridesmaid as she repeatedly missed out on rehoming has performed just that duty for her new, loving owner.

Pumpkin, who was rescued in 2023 aged 15, spent more than 500 days at Blue Cross’s Burford rehoming centre “watching other horses get rehomed while she waited patiently for someone to fall in love with her”.

But last Christmas, Natalie King contacted the charity as her cob Domino had lost his best friend and was “struggling” on his own.

“Domino was absolutely miserable – he needed a friend and fast,” Natalie said. “I contacted Blue Cross and they matched us with Pumpkin who was looking for a home as a non-ridden companion. ‘She’s super-cool and just happy to be involved!’ they told me. Perfect!”

Natalie lives on 11 acres with a sheep, two pigmy goats and Domino, and plenty of room for Pumpkin.

“When they told me how long she’d been in their care, my heart went out to her,” Natalie said.

“Five days later Pumpkin arrived. I put her next door to Domino and after a quarantine period, they joined each other in the paddock. Happy days – they really liked each other. I was very relieved it was all so easy and that Domino was content again.”

Natalie said Pumpkin is an “angel pony”, who has not put a hoof wrong.

“When I call her name from the paddock gate, she trots over to me,” she said. “I’ve had Domino 15 years and he’s never once come when called! Pumpkin is so easy-going and polite. She’s a joy to have around.”

A few months later, Blue Cross Burford’s Bradley Moore-Taylor went to visit Pumpkin and Natalie, and “realising how happy Pumpkin was”, asked Natalie whether she would like to own her.

“And that wasn’t the only ‘Yes’ Natalie was saying,” a Blue Cross spokesperson said. “The following week she got married; Pumpkin’s legal ownership paperwork arrived the day before the wedding.”

Natalie explained that she and her husband Ben married in the village church and had the reception at home.

“The horses were very much part of the day, watching the goings-on from the paddock, and Pumpkin becoming officially mine just made it more special,” she said.

“Then my bridesmaid Siân said: ‘Pumpkin wondered if she could be a bridesmaid too.’ Sian had got her bridesmaid’s dress taken up and used the spare fabric to tie a bow in Pumpkin’s forelock.

“It was such a lovely gesture and Pumpkin looked gorgeous. So Siân and I had some official wedding photos taken with Pumpkin – girls together. Then my husband Ben and I had pictures with Pumpkin, Domino and ex-racehorse Benji (Old Beginnings), who had returned home from his retraining yard. The boys love their little sister!”

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