A CARE home resident from Runcorn has been reunited with her rescue horse after 10 years apart.
Joyce Austin was finally able to stroke and feed her long lost friend again after the sanctuary he was sent to managed to track Joyce down and arrange the ‘special’ reunion.
The 84-year-old retiree first made a unique bond with the horse she named ‘Star’ after noticing him in a field nearby her then home on Weaver Road, Runcorn.
Detailing her gratitude to the rescue centre for giving her the opportunity to see Star again, Joyce said: “Thank you so much. I have really enjoyed my day. It was lovely to see how happy Star is with all his friends.”
Having never seen the horse or its owner before, Joyce began to visit him regularly, bringing him carrots to snack on, but she soon grew concerned for the animal’s welfare with no owner present to feed or care for him.
Joyce then contacted a friend who found Star a home at ‘Spirit of the Herd‘ pony sanctuary in Helsby, with the sad expectation she would never see him again.
After moving to Simonsfield Care Home, located on Boston Avenue, in January this year, Joyce recalled many stories to the staff and residents of happy memories she shared with Star.
It then came as an initial shock when the rescue sanctuary tracked Joyce down and arranged with the care home to reunite her with her Star after 10 long years.
Describing the remarkable reunion as ‘healing’, Saphron Woods from the sanctuary said: “We are so pleased we were able to reunite Joyce and Star. Star has been in our care for a few years in rehabilitation and is doing well.
“Seeing the two together was very special and we feel it helped heal both human and equine. We welcome Joyce to come and visit as often as she is able.”
Care home manager, Debbie Smith, praised the sanctuary for their major efforts to reunite the pair.
She said: “I cannot thank the sanctuary enough. It was so good of them to take the time to track Joyce down, contact the home, and host us on a visit so Joyce could see Star again.
“Seeing them reunited was amazing and Joyce was beaming all the way back to the care home and for several days since.”
She added: “They are a non-for-profit organisations and look after these horses purely on donations. Hopefully we will be able to go back and see Star again in future, now we know where he lives.”
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