PATRICK

AS TOLD BY HIS FAMILY

Patrick The Pony was born on St Patrick’s Day in 2018 at Tawna Miniature Shetland Stud Farm in the Bodmin area. He is a registered miniature Shetland, Dark Bay, 7hh.

In December 2019 Patrick arrived in Cockington to join our family, from the minute he casually strolled off the horse box in the pouring rain, he was ever so calm and sweet. He settled in very quickly and we knew he was very special, due to his lovely kind temperament.

We started to take him for walks with our children leading him, which we soon found he absolutely loves, he thoroughly enjoys going on adventures and meeting new people. We got him into a good routine and found he is very quick to learn, he has lovely manners and very good with our children, who love to groom and plait his mane and tail. We decided to take him inside the local pub, as they allow dogs, the management welcomed him in and he soon became very popular with locals and tourists. We did it very gradually introducing him to new sounds etc, he always remained very calm and well behaved.

In 2020 Patrick The Pony became the official Mascot for The War Horse Memorial, the first national memorial dedicated to all equine who served in war, raising money for equine charities.

During Lockdown we did lots of videos on social media of Patrick going for walks around the local village and countryside, which we posted online, this inspired our first children’s book The Adventures of Patrick The Pony: The Ten Duckling’s, which includes lots of wildlife and plants we came across. We received hundreds of messages on Facebook saying how much the videos of Patrick were helping peoples mental health, this encouraged the idea for Patrick to become a therapy pony, so he could comfort those in need.

The day Lockdown came to an end, Patrick was on the front cover of a National Newspaper The Daily Star “Day 1 and we’ve got holidays, hugs.... and a pony in a pub”. Patrick returned to the pub, this is where his training to become a therapy pony began, which he really enjoyed, as he always had lots of attention and it was a place he felt very comfortable.

Patrick started his Therapy work in 2021 at the age of 3, as this is when we felt he was ready, he soon visited Psychiatric Intensive Care Units, Recovery Groups, Wakes, schools, University’s etc... where he has brought comfort and joy to those in need. Patrick then became the mascot for Devon Learning Recovery, who are partners to the NHS. Patrick regularly attends sessions with Devon Learning Recovery, Devon Partnership NHS Trust, who provide free open access opportunities for
adults over the age of 18 to learn about wellbeing and mental health.

In Patrick’s spare time we discovered he loves in hand jumping, our children have great fun setting up small jumps in the field or find sticks in the woods, which they lead him over. He has attended a couple of local horse shows, which he amazed us by winning two Clear Round Rosettes, two cups, for The Pony with the Shortest Legs and The Hairiest Pony.

In Spring 2022 Patrick teamed up with Devon Shire Carriages to help raise money for Ukraine, it was during this event someone suggested Patrick should have a title for his community work in Cockington, this is when it was suggested that Patrick should become The Mayor of Cockington, a petition was put together and the rest made history. Hundreds signed the petition and then on Saturday the 23rd of July 2022 Patrick was presented with his chain of office by Cllr Andrew Barrand,
which was a gold light up chain, with a gold horse shoe pendant, with significant details connected to the history of horses in Cockington. We got a special rug for occasion from Dinky Rugs, which is red with a white trim, to represent a Mayors cloak and we found online a white Mayors collar, to bring some sophistication to his final look.

Local MP Kevin Foster and his wife Cllr Hazel Foster came to support Patrick becoming the Mayor, Rev Emma Dornan from St Mary Mags Church gave an Animal Blessing and many locals attended the occasion of Patrick becoming the first Miniature Shetland Mayor of a village. It was a lovely day, where lots of people in the community came together, some even travelled from as far as Scotland.

Patrick went world wide in the media, he appeared on an Australian TV, ARD German TV,
a half page of The Washington Post, France TV Londres, This Morning UK TV, Talk TV, GB News, most of the national newspapers. But all the fame in the world could not change our dear little
Patrick, he takes everything in his stride, always remains calm, humble and incredibly sweet.