Hundreds of horses rescued in memory of animal lover

Ginny Hajdukiewicz died more than 30 years ago but her legacy lives on, meaning the lives of animals continue to be saved.

Ginny was 38 when she died in 1994 after being diagnosed with breast cancer but since then the charity she started has gone on to rescue almost 400 horses and ponies.

"She was my heroine, I was in absolute awe of her and I wanted to be just like her," said Dionne Schuurman, who was taught to ride by Ginny as a nine-year-old.

Dionne, who is now operations manager at Ginny's charity Lluest Horse and Pony Trust in Llangadog, Carmarthenshire, said Ginny would be incredibly proud as it turns 40.

"She was just one small person and I think her story deserves to be heard," said her friend Stella Gratrix, who was one of the charity's first trustees.

"She was a powerful force at 4ft 11."

Aged 23, Ginny set up her first riding centre in Coombe, Gloucestershire.

Barbara Metcalfe met her for the first time when she took her then five-year-old daughter along to learn to ride.

She said it was immediately clear Ginny was "absolutely devoted to her horses".

"She was somebody who cared deeply about the horses and not at all about the money she was going to make," she said.

Barbara then began volunteering at the centre and a close friendship was formed.

Ginny made a similar impression on Stella, who got to know her when she later moved to Wales in 1982 and set up in Trefenter in Ceredigion.

"Ginny survived on bread and potatoes one winter because all of her money went on to buy fodder for the horses, she was totally dedicated," she said.

"Her motto was 'every penny possible for the ponies'."

She also remembers Ginny for her strong language.

"A typical horsey lady," she laughed.

When Ginny founded the charity in 1985, Stella, Barbara and Barbara's late husband Brian were made trustees.

She wanted to create a refuge and safe haven for ponies and horses after being appalled by the condition and handling of wild hill ponies and foals she saw at local horse sales.

"We used to go to the horse sales with a camera and it was obviously known what we were doing and we'd have ice cold water chucked over us in February," said Stella.

"Ponies would be slipping and sliding because the floor wasn't clean," added Barbara.

"It was nothing really to see a foal, perhaps nervous after being taken from its mother, whacked across the back with a stick and then slip and slide all over the slippery floor."

The charity was formed and in her lifetime Ginny rescued 77 horses and helped many more.

She was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1992.

Towards the end of her life she had a surprise reunion with 22 of the ponies she had rescued over the years, all of them happy, fit and thriving in their loan homes.

She died at her home on 13 September 1994 following a stroke and is buried on the farm alongside her beloved pony Prince.

Today the charity, which is still funded entirely by donations, has rescued more than 450 horses and ponies.

It employs three full-time and two part-time grooms and welcomes volunteers throughout the year.

A recent success story is Jack Sparrow, a foal who was rescued after being found alone in a drainage ditch along the sea wall in Peterstone, Newport, last July.

He was the third orphan foal the charity took in during 2024 but sadly the only one to survive.

Another success story is Connie.

During the Covid pandemic in 2020, the charity received a call from a walker to say they had discovered a foal trying to feed from its dead mother close to the charity in Llangadog.

Their team had to carry the foal over fences by torchlight before taking her back to the farm for an assessment by vets and feeding her replacement foal milk every two hours through the night.

Today she is a happy, healthy five-year-old.

Ginny was a keen writer, often writing about her life and work in notebooks or even on the back of envelopes.

To coincide with the charity's 40th birthday, Stella and Barbara have collected and edited her handwritten stories.

The result is a book - Ginny's story of the Lluest Horse and Pony Trust.

Barbara and Stella, who both met Ginny when they were in their 30s and are now in their 70s, said she continued to impact their lives.

"I think she gave me a lot of confidence by doing what I did for her and the trust," said Barbara.

"It enriched my life and I've still got a huge respect for her and what she did."

"Ditto," said Stella. "I still walk up to her grave and say hello."

What would Ginny make of her legacy?

"I saw [Ginny's husband] Peter the other day and he said she would be so proud," said Barbara.

"That was his words, he said 'Ginny would be so proud'."