For nine-year-old Charlotte Raffin it is the first time she has spent a birthday with her new pony Benny.

“He’s so lovely. He will be 10 today,” she said.

Charlotte’s parents Todd and Jenny Raffin say they sourced the pony to fulfill their daughter’s dream to own a horse.

“We’ve only had him for a little while but he’s a great pony, terrific with the kids,” Mr Raffin said.

The horse’s birthday has been set down for August 1 to standardise ages for horses, particularly for racing, as it has been historically difficult to keep track of the ages of horses.