THE Irish Horse Rehoming Programme had much to celebrate last weekend as a former rescue, IHRP Bella, under the command of Leinster rider Georgia Kehoe, won the All-Ireland 148 80cm Interprovincial Final in Barnadown. A new combination, they were competing at their third show together. The combination also finished seventh and ninth in the 90cm National Pony Championships at their second show together.

Now 14 years old, IHRP Bella was rescued from the pound by Carrie Keogh having been used as a trotter. She was in foal at the time and just two days away from being euthanised. She was retrained by the Chairperson of the organisation, Patricia Carey, who continues to retrain other animals with much success.

The Irish Horse Rehoming Programme was set up in 2014 to offer a lifeline to impounded horses and ponies on death row. After several years and many hundreds of saved equines, IHRP achieved charitable status in 2020. Their focus is always rescue and rehabilitation, but IHRP now facilitates the rehoming of healthy equines from a variety of situations including owner/ surrender when space allows. See www.ihrp.ie for more information on the work being done.