Their bond is like no other, so when 21-year-old Paige Matthews from Stanley, County Durham, was told she was too fat to ride her beloved pony, she knew something had to be done.
Eating food cooked in oils, as well as scoffing cheese and chocolate, and drinking Malibu and Cokes, her weight ballooned to 12-and-a-half stone.
At five foot four inches she was overweight and Dream, her pony, was bearing the brunt.
Paige Matthews, 21, from Stanley, County Durham, was told by vets that she was too fat to ride her pony at 12-and-a-half stone (left) so has joined a weight loss group and has already lost two stone (right)
Dream was suffering with back problems and the vet had to be called in.
But when Ms Matthews was told the truth by the animal medic, it really hit home.
Now the pony lover has set herself the task of losing three stone so Dream can be ridden in years to come.
And she's already lost nearly two stone after joining a weight loss group.
Ms Matthews said: 'It was in the summer last year that I was told by the vet that Dream needed a smaller rider or retire.
'I was basically too fat to ride my pony.
'The vet said because she was carrying my extra weight, and the fact she is 24 years old, it was probably contributing to her bad back.'
Ms Matthews's weight ballooned as she was eating food cooked in oils, snacking on cheese and chocolate and drinking Malibu and Cokes
Dream was given steroid injections and lots of love from Ms Matthews.
But
