AFTER 24 years spent giving rides to disabled children, a beloved pony donated to a Chelmsford farm by children's TV programme Blue Peter is retiring.
Jet, a hard-working 31-year-old Dales pony, will spend the rest of his days at Highwood's Barrow Farm riding club for the disabled enjoying a "life of luxury".
His retirement, however, will not pass without celebration, and on Saturday, chief instructor Anne Mitchell will host an open day for the much-loved animal.
"We will miss him hugely," said Anne, 60.
"He is a very old pony now and he has worked so hard all his life – it's no longer fair to expect him to do work and you wouldn't always expect a pony to live until they're 30.
"He will now spend the rest of his days at Barrow Farm with his friends and generally doing whatever makes him happy – he still comes running when he wants something!"
Anne, who is manager of the centre she founded with her mother in 1976, said Jet has spent his days giving pleasure to countless riders, drivers and Blue Peter viewers.
The talented carriage driver, who took part in national competitions after Blue Peter bought him via a 1987 Christmas Appeal, came to the farm after training with the Riding for the Disabled Association (RDA).
"We hope to have him a bit longer as this is home to him and it has been his home for so long," she added.
"He will live a life of luxury, eating, sleeping and going out into the fields in the daytime.
"He hasn't worked much in recent months so it won't be a huge change for him when he stops completely, ponies don't like change.
"It's not like us retiring – it's a very gradual change."
RDA coach Claire Skinner, 28, who first met Jet when she was 14, remembers being taken aback by his performance in competitions.
"He would always stand out. His character gave the riders confidence and allowed them to ride completely by themselves, without assistance," she said.
"He was always the easy one to have on the ride and you always knew you didn't have to worry about him because he would always look after his rider."
She added: "He put Barrow Farm on the map and his publicity made people realise we were here."
