Maddingley

Horse Shepherd Excursion

Recently, a group of our students had the opportunity to visit Horse Shepherd Equine Sanctuary, spending time checking in on our sponsored pony, Frodo, while also rolling up our sleeves to lend a helping hand around the sanctuary.

Our connection with Horse Shepherd has continued to grow over the past 12 months, with the BMG Equestrian Team developing an ongoing relationship with the sanctuary and supporting the important work they do caring for horses and ponies in need. This year, that partnership has grown even further with the introduction of our Horse Shepherd Enrichment class, giving more students the opportunity to become actively involved.

These visits are about much more than horses, they provide students with a meaningful way to contribute to their community, see firsthand how their actions can make a difference, and put our school values of respect and kindness into practice. We are incredibly proud to see this partnership continue to develop in supporting Horse Shepherd and the wonderful work they do.

Below are student reflections of our excursion:

Horse Shepherd is a sanctuary full of horses and other animals like camels, donkeys and goats. When we first entered the Horse Shepherd grounds, we were greeted by a group of animals.

This sanctuary was amazing, and the camels were probably the funniest animals. They kept nibbling my shirt thinking that I was a carrot.

At Bacchus Marsh Grammar, we sponsor a pony called Frodo. We got to meet him and he was cute as well. He was a gentle pony with a quiet personality, and he gently took the carrot that I offered him.

I really want to contribute to helping the farm thrive and I also want more people to learn about Horse Shepherd and the work they do!

Zariya 6A

Having this opportunity was a wonderful and rewarding experience. Visiting the sanctuary was a very different encounter because we have never gotten to see most of the animals that were there up close. 

The highlight of our day was seeing all the different animals, especially getting to meet and feed the famous Frodo, and enjoying the company of a small group of students and teachers on the bus journey there and back. 

Overall, our first experience at Horse Shepherd was incredible! It was filled with amazing animals and memories worth keeping! 

Dia 7I 

Georgia Low – Assistant Head of Year 7 (Maddingley)