A long-serving horse at Calvert Stables has died.
Haggis, a 14.2 hands high bay gelding was a favourite at the Calvert for many years and after 21 years of service, aged 34 he was put to sleep quietly at home.
Haggis was bought by the Calvert Trust centre in Kielder as a five-year-old, and after eight years at Kielder their stables closed, and he came to the Lakes.
He competed for several years in Riding for the Disabled dressage with some local disabled riders, attended special events and brought pleasure to so many.
Henri Carew, stables manager, said: ‘’Haggis was such a very special pony. He was always content and ready for a ride; in his younger days, we used to enjoy a good gallop on Latrigg Fell.
“When Haggis lost his sight two years ago due to a long-term condition called uveitis and could no longer be used for riding lessons for our visitors, our staff and volunteers still enjoyed riding him, which in turn kept him fit and well, in fact, one of our volunteers, Chloe rode him in the school only a few days before we lost him and he was fit as a flea!
“We were planning on celebrating his 35th birthday in January which would have meant he had been 30 years at Calvert Trust. I’m so glad he didn’t go downhill with his health and he was not in pain or discomfort at the end of his very long and very happy life.”
The Calvert ponies have a Christmas holiday every year and Haggis used to like going to Mirehouse to stay with John Fryer-Spedding, who was the founder of the Calvert Trust. John’s granddaughter Catherine was a great friend and regular rider of Haggis.
John said: “It is a great credit to the Stables staff that Haggis lived to this great age. He was always in good trim with a lovely coat and mane. He was never overweight or underweight and latterly enjoyed a treat of minced carrots whenever we visited him.”
