Joy as riding school for disabled students finds new horse

Josh Hoskins has formed a strong bond with Freya the horse

Workers at a riding school for disabled people said they were over the moon after finally finding a new horse for their students.

After a long search, Parklands Riding for the Disabled Association bought Freya, whose calm and gentle nature has helped aspiring riders.

It comes following the death of a popular Welsh cob named Sam who died following a spell of colic.

Now, Freya and student Josh Hoskins have formed a strong bond.

He said: "I love Freya, I loved Sam but he has gone."

Alison Ramseier, of RDA Parkland, in Stoke-on-Trent, said: "We went to the four corners of the UK looking, and when I first saw Freya my first thought was, 'oh she's big', but she ticked every box and to see Josh's face when she came off the lorry was absolutely priceless."

Debbie Hoskins says Freya has boosted her son's mental health

Freya was discovered in Evesham, Worcestershire. Her previous owner had found her in a field neglected and nursed her back to health so she could be ridden before selling her on.

Mr Hoskins' mother Debbie added: "She has really brought the light back into his life, he was so sad and really low when we lost Sam and it really knocked his confidence, his mental health was plummeting.

"So to get him back to being the happy young man that he usually is has been amazing."