[Drummournie]

Hello,

So we are in and settled in our 10.5 acres in the lovely highlands of scotland and the list of jobs to do is never ending but thats just the same as every smallholder right?

The reason for this post is the previous owners left their pony (viscount) in the filed until they could arrange a horsebox  to move him, we had him for 3 weeks and now hes gone I am surprised to say we miss the old lad coming to the gate for a cheeky apple or a scratch of the mane! He had laminitis and I ma not sure his owners really cared for him so I nearly offered to lee him but they were insistent he went with them.

Currently the 10 acres is one big field but I do have an energiser and some tape, could restrict grazing to prevent laminitis or overfeeding, I have a field shelter than I have just made waterproof again and water in the field for drinking too.

I am looking for a couple of new friends for the field, ideally just a couple of companion ponies or donkeys that I can offer a home to where we can benefit from the companionship of them and in return we can look after them with worming / feet / vet etc. No suggestion of ever riding them or working them, just good friends as the saying goes!

The horse world is a bit of an enigma to me and I don't want to end up in trouble due to some of my ignorance but where do I start? I thought initially of the SSPCA or some local horsey people, even thought of offering grazing but I am not keen on people coming in about my property when I am not here.

I would really like to offer a home to a couple of ponies that just wanted to see there days out with someone looking out for them, think its achievable and any pointers as to where to start?

Location is the lovely hills above Inverness - Thanks you all for your advice in advance.

[tazbabe]

you could contact the horse protection league, or the rspca, or the police, they like nice retirement homes for their horses.

horses make lovely pets, they love human interaction, and you can learn what you need to know as you go along, if you take a rescue or retired police horse, then i thin ongoing support shouldnt be a problem

[Hermit]

I agree, my SIL takes ponies and donkeys in form a rescue place. She has a lovely stable yard but is retired and does not ride so just cares for them. She loves it.

[lachlanandmarcus]

World Horse Welfare (their Scottish centre is at Aboyne, Aberdeenshire) would be def able to fix you up with a couple of wee rescue characters, especially if you can handle restricted grazing etc for lami risk ponies, they would be very grateful as they are very full.
These are the currently ready to rehome lovelies they have :-)))) They would come on permanent loan so you could keep them or if your circumstances changed or it didnt work for some reason they would take them back.
http://www.worldhorsewelfare.org/rehoming/browse-horses.asp?location=Belwade+Farm&use=All&submit=submit
 

[Margery McGowan]

Hi - Definately try World Horse Welfare in Aboyne (Belwade Farm) - they currently have 9 or 10 horses / ponies awaiting adoption - mostly as companions.  I've been to the farm on a number of occasions and the horses all look fabulous and are really well looked after while there - the staff are very helpful too.  I hope to take on a horse from WHW when I move my own horse to our field.  If you take on a loan horse through WHW they are there to help with any welfare / general enquiries during your adoption / loan period.  Good luck with the search.

[Small Farmer]

We have a rescue pony as a companion on loan and it works very well.  He's a friendly chap with dodgy conformation who can't be ridden, sadly, but the big chaps are very fond of him in a horsey sort of way.

[Drummournie]

Thanks All, I will try the whw in Aboyne, will pop along for a visit first. One of my colleagues at work suggested the mart too so will see when the next sale is, will see you all at the rare breeds sale in Dingwall too if anyones going!

[shetlandpaul]

no not the mart. you need to have some idea of what your doing. if you want a couple of shetlands there are a number up here that did not sell in the sales for £5.50.  the breeders would be very pleased to sell them to a caring home. contact the pony breeders of shetland web site. they may help. a lot of the rescue groups prefer folks with experiance.


A word of warning ponies are very long lived upto 40-50 years. please think very carefully before you go ahead. the buying is cheap the care and feeding not so cheap.vets and farriers bills are also expensive.

[Small Farmer]

...which is why the rescue loan schemes are a good idea.  Around the time it changed its name from ilph the whw contemplated cancelling the return option but decided it was a bad idea.


Our pony came from Ada Cole/Redwings and a nice bloke turns up randomly every so often to check how much we beat him

[sabrina]

Please go to world horse welfare. By taking from them you are freeing up a space for them to take on another rescue that may be in desperate need. They will also give you something that will fit in with your life style and you will know that it has been health checked and well handled.

[Drummournie]

Thanks all, I appreciate your knowledgeable advice.

[Drummournie]

no not the mart. you need to have some idea of what your doing. if you want a couple of shetlands there are a number up here that did not sell in the sales for £5.50.  the breeders would be very pleased to sell them to a caring home. contact the pony breeders of shetland web site. they may help. a lot of the rescue groups prefer folks with experiance.


A word of warning ponies are very long lived upto 40-50 years. please think very carefully before you go ahead. the buying is cheap the care and feeding not so cheap.vets and farriers bills are also expensive.

Thanks Paul, we are well prepared for the long term expense. I had a work colleague from Shetland who bred horses up there, Carole Laignell, but maybe hers are a bit posh for me?

[jinglejoys]

of coarse no one's mentioned MULES yet!

[Drummournie]

Funny you say that jingle have another look at our other thread in here!

[doganjo]

I'd have loved to do that too when I had the ground and a stable, I was turned down with no explanation once by Bellwade so never went back.  They were actually quite offhand.  Possibly because I admitted I knew little about equines, but two of my neighbours were very experienced horsewomen, and they knew that so I don't know what the problem was.
I would worry about having to do the deed at the end though.