ALL it takes is a confident stride and Bobby will shadow your every move.

True, his head can be turned by a particularly attractive patch of cow parsley, but as we stroll through the Devon countryside it is difficult to imagine that this conker-brown pony was once wild.

And not just wild; petrified of people due to a trauma he had experienced in his youth.

It has taken several years of training and therapy to bring Bobby, now ten, out of his shell and he is now part of the team for a fledgling business that provides a gentle introduction to all things equine.

Faye Stacey, 28, of Tiverton, came up with the idea for Pony Picnics. And as we stroll along an unnamed B road near Witheridge with the amiable Bobby in tow, surrounded by open fields, listening to birdsong and dodging the oddly amorous fox moth caterpillars beneath our feet, it seems that the concept could swiftly bear fruit.

"Bobby still has his quirks," said Faye, brushing away a caterpillar which is determinedly trying to reach her leg, "But he's a soppy thing now — just stroke his nose and he will do anything. I think a lot of people are going to fall in love with him."

Pony Picnics offers people the chance to have an experience with formerly wild Dartmoor and Exmoor ponies, learning the basics of pony handling, then taking them for walks along quiet lanes and through fields with the added bonus of taking up additional options such as picnics in the open air, thanks to co-operation with nearby landowners, or cream teas at the enterprise's base, the Horsefield Farm B&B.

"One of the first things you do with ponies to aid their rehabilitation is walk them," said Faye.

"It seemed a natural progression to allow people to get involved with this and I think most people will find this experience just as enjoyable as riding them.

"I believe this business is unique in this part of the country and the reaction so far has been really positive."

Faye runs the business with the help of People 4 Ponies, a Mid Devon project which began in 2002 when a local farmer who had bought a group of 31 wild ponies to keep his grass down after losing all his cows in a foot and mouth cull found them to be surplus to requirements after the crisis was over.

Faced with the prospect of sending them to slaughter as they could not be rehomed, the farmer realised they could be given a better chance in life by being caught, tamed and trained.

This, in turn, led to Paul and Cilla King forming People 4 Ponies. They took on the ponies and began the slow process of their rehabilitation in the fields around Horsefield Farm. And the recession quickly saw the number of ponies they had swell from 31 to 53.

Many of the original group of ponies are now in permanent homes and a few are out on loan.

But several are retained around the farm and are now being employed by Faye who started volunteering with the project four years ago.

"We have four rescue ponies who regularly take part in the pony picnics and walks," said Faye.

"They are Frodo, Rocky, Bobby and Muddy. They cannot be ridden because of their backgrounds.

"I guess, in some ways, I am reviving the tradition of pack ponies in Devon but, more importantly, it's a way of getting a fresh lease of life for the rescue ponies and giving people the chance to get close to these wonderful and characterful animals."

Setting up the business marks the start of a new chapter in Faye's life which has been nothing short of enigmatic so far. She graduated from the University of Exeter with a first degree in archaeology before moving to West Exe Technology College as a learning mentor.

Her knowledge of French and German saw her next take up a post with Reuters in Tiverton and it was during this time that her current career began to take shape.

"I started having riding lessons while I was working at Reuters," she said. "But while I knew how to groom and ride, I didn't feel I was getting close to the horses.

"I started taking courses to learn more about their body language and behaviour, taking up a voluntary post with People 4 Ponies which I tried to fit in around my Reuters shifts.

"This progressed to an increased role with the project in training, rehabilitation and campaigning, and now to Pony Picnics.

"The business is about sharing an experience not ordinarily available with formerly wild ponies, and the chance to get to know them as well as I do.

"We can tailor that experience to people of all ages from toddlers upwards. I know a lot of people can be afraid of horses and ponies but this is a perfect way to allay any fears away from riding.

"I'm looking forward now to seeing how it can develop and, ultimately, how it can grow as a business and also help support the excellent work of the People 4 Ponies project."

For more details on Pony Picnics, visit www.ponypicnics. com or call 01884 251251. Experiences must be pre-booked. To find out more about People 4 Ponies, which still has several ponies in need of rehoming, visit www.people4ponies.co.uk.