Taming the wild horses

Wright is involved in Bio-Energy healing and uses her skill on horses as well as humans. She deals with physically sound horses that leave the racing circuit each year and makes a vast difference to their lives.

Horses donated remain the property of the Trust for the rest of their lives and, when re-homed, are regularly checked to monitor their progress. Being a "guardian" for one of its horses requires filling-in an application form designed to match a suitable horse to the right person. Successful applicants are put on the database and visit the Rake HQ to meet and ride the horse when it has reached the end of its rehabilitation.

Still explains: "Some people get on a pony and gallop it, thinking they can handle a horse. Then they go to the racing sales and buy a cheap animal. But a thoroughbred is a different kettle of fish. It can take a bit of a pull with you. The rider can panic, and, in turn, the horse too.

"We programme our guardians and school them and their horses on our mile-and-a-quarter sand and grass tracks before they are allowed to go home together."

Notable successes have been with a five-year-old - bred to be a Derby winner - and a 14-year-old Scottish boy. The pair have made such a great team, clicking from the moment they met, that they are already jumping four-foot fences over the border and are tipped to do great things in the show-jumping arena.

On another plane, Meriden, the first Trust horse when it started in February has made such strides after being left out in the Sussex floods, that before and after pictures are a revelation.

Racehorses are given a new name when they are taken by Spirit Equus, and, when ready can be used in jumping and dressage rings, polocrosse or just as a healthy family favourite.

The Trust's first open day in September was a great success. It was opened by former National Hunt jockey and trainer Ron Atkins, for whom chairman James gained his love of the thoroughbred by riding out.

A 250-strong crowd turned up and despite lashing rain, stayed for the four-hour demonstration of how horses can be transformed by the organisation, which has applied for charity status.

There will be another opportunity to see how it works at Fontwell, the unique figure of eight West Sussex jumping course before its meeting on Monday, 4 March next year, where Celeste, the unmanageable racehorse will show just how she has benefitted from the Trust's training plus Wright's potent mix of healing a horse's mind, body and spirit.

The products of the venture are walking adverts for it, and show that the end of a horse's racing life is not the end of its usefulness or the joy it can bring.

(The Spirit Equus Trust, Cold Harbour Park Farm, Rake, Hampshire, GU33 7JJ. Tel: 01730 890115)