JENNY Baillie, the co-founder of the Fortune Centre of Riding Therapy in Bransgore, died at home on January 29 after a short illness, aged 80.

Mrs Baillie was still a vice-president for the centre, which uses horses to help young people with special needs learn and develop, until she died.

She was born Jennifer Newgass in Hampstead, and grew up with her family in Dorset, where she developed an early love of horses and hunting.

In November 1955 she married Major the Hon. Peter Baillie in Brompton and the pair first lived together in Windsor.

They moved to Wootton Hall near New Milton in 1961.

There, she bred New Forest ponies, joined the New Forest Hunt branch of the Pony Club, and became increasingly involved with the charities Physically Handicapped and Able Bodied and Riding for the Disabled. She launched Project Fortune, which was named after her horse Fortune, alongside Yvonne Nelson in 1976.

Based at first in the family home at Wootton Hall, the centre eventually expanded to today encompass a main site at Avon Tyrrell, a second site at Wootton Hall Farm and accommodation for students at Meredith Lodge.

On retiring as chairman Mrs Baillie served as vice-president for the centre.

In 1988 she was made joint president of the New Forest Show with her husband.

She was also involved in the formation of the Southern Association of Voluntary Action Groups in Europe, and worked on the Independent Appeals Service for Hampshire.

She was closely involved with the local community, especially at St John’s Church in Boldre where she joined the parochial church council, and in 2009 she was elected to the Winchester Diocesan Synod.

Fortune Centre director Jennifer Dixon-Clegg said: “What was wonderful about her was that she wasn’t held back by ordinary limits, she could always see there was more that could be done and that it could be done better.

“She was also a tremendous advocate for New Forest ponies, she bred them and had a stud.

“She had grown up loving horses and realised what having a real passion for something could enable people to achieve.”

She leaves her husband and children, Catriona, Elizabeth, Susan and Rachel as well as grandchildren Hannah, Emily and William.