Linda Esprit <https://www.facebook.com/linda.esprit">https://www.facebook.com/linda.esprit> writes: Hi, I wonder if you may be able to help, please? I spent my whole childhood riding and, as a child in the 1970s, I used to love visiting and helping to care for the horses in Birdies Lane, between Ely and Fairwater in Cardiff.
My favourite pony was called Cindy, a beautiful dun coloured filly/young mare. She used to come cantering to me from the far end of the field when I called her name, even crossing a stream to join me.
In my childhood innocence I was saving up my pocket money to buy her. But one day, when I was ill with German measles, my friend knocked my door to tell me Cindy had been sold and was gone... I was heartbroken and have always felt the loss of her.
A few years ago I bumped into her original owner, Terry Mason, at the local vet's - it was an amazing chance encounter and it was only through talking of horses that it came to light that he used to own her and I recognised his name. He told me that he had sold Cindy to a riding school in Devon and she has proved to be a really popular riding pony. She was still alive! He later gave me a photo of her - it confirmed it really was her and I was so thrilled.
Unfortunately he couldn't remember the name of the riding school and he has since died. I promised myself that I would look for Cindy but the list of riding schools in Devon is quite long! I'm just wondering if anyone 'out there' may know or be able to remember where Cindy went?
I posted on a facebook page called Remember Old Cardiff and had a few leads from there, but unfortunately no-one actually knows which riding school Cindy went to. As I say, the list of riding schools in Devon is quite long and it's quite daunting trying to contact them all, but someone then made the suggestion of contacting the Devon newspapers, as they will reach so many people...
I'd love to see if Cindy is still alive, even though she will now be very old...I heard of a horse recently who is 45 years old and it's spurred me on to do something - but time is of the essence and I would hate to leave it too late... Many, many thanks for any help you are able to give.