The work of a Monmouthshire couple, who saved foals from slaughter, has been recognised with a national award.

The British Horse Society honoured individuals and organisations who supported the leading equestrian charity’s work at an awards ceremony at Saddlers Hall, London.

Jenny MacGregor was among those presented with awards of recognition by the society’s president Martin Clunes.

Jenny and her late husband Alasdair were involved from the start in setting up the Society for the Welfare of Horses and Ponies, founded in 1973 to save foals from being exported to slaughter.

Jenny is now chairman of the society.

As the practice of exporting foals for slaughter dwindled, the work changed.

Now, as an equine hospital, the society takes in sick, injured or abused animals, rehabilitating them and finding them good homes.

In late 2010 Jenny and her helpers experienced one of their busiest and most difficult winters on record.

They fed large groups of abandoned horses and ponies in fields and were called out at all hours to loose and injured horses on roads.

Up until his death last year, Alasdair and Jenny were the society’s driving force, and his express wish was that business should continue as usual without him.

Jenny’s trademark determination has ensured the vital work to help horses in need will go on under her sole leadership.

Speaking at the ceremony, Jenny said: "We have got some wonderful stories about some animals that were in a dire situation that have now gone on and made lovely animals and of them competing and winning rosettes.

She added: "I was obviously very thrilled to have my husband included because we worked for so many years together and obviously, if it wasn’t for him I wouldn’t be doing it here now."