A HORSE rescued from a miserable life has found a new home with Forest Olympic gold medallist Charlotte Dujardin.

Charlotte fell for the black foal when she met him last December through a friend who cares for horses on behalf of the RSPCA.

The double gold medallist immediately christened him Santa "because he came at Christmas."

When she met the tiny horse he was so small that normal rugs were too big for him so she immediately commissioned her rugmaker to make a custom-made rug.

Santa will become a companion horse to five-year-old En Vogue who Charlotte hopes will become her next champion horse.

She said: "All Santa has to do is live a happy life here. He will be a companion horse."

Santa arrived at his new home at Upleadon near Newent on Tuesday afternoon.

RSPCA rehoming coordinator Gareth Johnson said: "It is fantastic that someone of Charlotte's standing is taking on a rescued pony.  

"We know he will now have the best life in her care.   "There are more than 800 horses and ponies in the care of the RSPCA and we desperately need homes for them so we hope that lots more people will now see the benefit of giving a rescued horse a second chance in life."