Animals who needed somewhere, and people who needed them

Horse

Athena

A beautiful, gentle former polo pony with an exceptionally kind nature. Calm and patient, she particularly enjoys spending time with young people and is often happiest simply being around people, enjoying some attention and company.

Athena has retired from ridden work and spends her days out in the fields at Model Farm with the herd. She is often one of the first to appear at the gate when she spots someone coming.

Athena has some lasting physical issues following her previous life, including a tendency to drag her back toes, so her comfort and wellbeing are carefully monitored and she is no longer ridden. These days, life is deliberately slower. Her role isn't to work or perform, it's to be Athena: grazing with her friends, enjoying human company and showing just how much a calm, kind horse can offer simply by being present.

Wolfdogs

Lupin & Elsa

Depending on the day, you might find them racing around their paddock, resting together in the barn, exploring the farm with their handlers, heading out locally for a walk, or simply curled up on the sofa enjoying a quieter afternoon.

Their presence gives people a fascinating opportunity to learn about wolfdogs while also opening conversations about wolves themselves: their behaviour, their vital role in healthy ecosystems, and the persecution and misunderstanding they continue to face in many parts of the world.

Lupin and Elsa are observation only for visitors and participants. Direct handling, walking and close interaction is reserved for experienced senior handlers who know them well and understand their individual behaviour and needs.

African spotted eagle-owl

Tamarind

Cared for by experienced handlers only. Tamarind is an African spotted eagle-owl, one of the smaller eagle-owl species, found across southern Africa in rocky scrubland, savannah and even around towns and gardens. She has the species' distinctive spotted plumage and bright yellow eyes. Although she isn't native to Britain, she's a wonderful starting point to talk about wildlife, ecosystems and food chains with visiting groups, and about how different species adapt to the places they live.

• African spotted eagle-owls hunt mostly at night, feeding on insects, small mammals, reptiles and even scorpions.
• They are one of the smaller eagle-owl species, smaller and more lightly built than the familiar British barn or tawny owl.
• In the wild they often roost on the ground or on low rocks, relying on their camouflage to stay hidden through the day.

Large Black pig

Bernard Roy

A Large Black, a native rare breed.

Living in his paddock at the farm, with plenty of space to dig, wallow and sleep. Large Blacks are one of Britain's native rare breed pigs, known for their calm temperament and excellent foraging ability. He was bottle fed after being rolled on by his mum as a tiny piglet, and he prefers to live alone, though he loves human company. He weighs over 50 stone.