Advice on urgent rehoming

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Chelsea Wilson

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23 January 2019
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Hi,

I guess this is a bit of an SOS - life has happened and I've got till the end of the month to find a new home for my pony.

For context he's a 21y/o Exmoor gelding, retired because I haven't been able to ride.

Has anyone got any advice on what to do? I feel so overwhelemd I don't even know where to start.

I'm not involved at all in my local equestrian community.
 
A few questions.

Are you looking to sell or loan him, or are you looking for a new place to keep him? Is he sound and able to be ridden, and if so is he an easy ride? Does he have any health conditions such as laminitis and/or sweet itch? Is he good as a companion pony?

What part of the country are you in?
 
Tiddlypom said:
A few questions.

Are you looking to sell or loan him, or are you looking for a new place to keep him? Is he sound and able to be ridden, and if so is he an easy ride? Does he have any health conditions such as laminitis and/or sweet itch? Is he good as a companion pony?

What part of the country are you in?
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I'm based in oxfordshire / cotswolds area.
Realistically sell, as much as I wish that wasn't the situation. No laminitis or sweet itch and he is sound. He's currently retired just because I haven't had the time but up untill last Autumn he was regularly in work - mainly hacking. He's an easy ride in the sense that I could hop on him in field when he hasn't been sat on for three months and go for a canter with no issues and I have taught many friends to ride on him over the years. However, he's a little too spooky (both on the ground and when ridden) to be a good kids pony unless it was lead rein.
 
The Fuzzy Furry said:
OP, definitely worth trying the EPS if he could be a companion, or maybe restarted to ride.
They are very approachable.
Is there no way you can extend timescale to allow you to find the right home? 10 days isn't long.
Good luck in home finding,
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unfortunatly not, the land I currently keep him on has unexpectedly been sold and they want it clear within 10 days. I've been trying to find somewhere to move him to but have had no luck so far and personal situations are not helping either. EPS is a good shout, would it matter that I'm not a member?
 
Crazy_cat_lady said:
Preparing to get slated

Is there a medical reason hes retired? If so, at his age, if the above fail, there's no harm in having him quietly pts at home. Will save him being passed on and potentially being passed around the dealers
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almost unfortunately not at all, he's perfectly healthy. The only reason he's been retired is that I haven't had the time so he turned into a field pet.
 
How big is he? Would he let you hop on and ride now? Could you pop on a kid in a cub saddle if needed to show ridden potential on lead rein? If you sold at a price reflecting his out of work self but were able to show him ridden, even to a LR home for £1500, you’d have more options.
 
There are Exmoor ponies grazing in the Forest of Dean. It might be worth contacting the people responsible to see if they'd be interested in him as they're probably a bit closer than the Moorland Mousie Trust.

Conservation grazing in the Forest of Dean | Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust

Conservation grazing aims to benefit wildlife in the Forest by enhancing areas of open habitat using a variety of livestock.
www.gloucestershirewildlifetrust.co.uk www.gloucestershirewildlifetrust.co.uk
 
kaiserchief said:
There are Exmoor ponies grazing in the Forest of Dean. It might be worth contacting the people responsible to see if they'd be interested in him as they're probably a bit closer than the Moorland Mousie Trust.

Conservation grazing in the Forest of Dean | Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust

Conservation grazing aims to benefit wildlife in the Forest by enhancing areas of open habitat using a variety of livestock.
www.gloucestershirewildlifetrust.co.uk www.gloucestershirewildlifetrust.co.uk
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Moorland Mousie coordinate all of the conservation grazing. They are also so very very helpful.
 
Dave's Mam said:
Is he registered? It will make a difference to his options.
Are you on Facebook? If so, I can direct you to a group of very knowledgeable, Exmoor Pony oriented folk. They will help you.
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He's got an EPS passport but not currently registered with anything.. I'm unfortunately not on facebook. I will Moorland Mouise a call in the morning though, thank you for suggesting them!
 
maya2008 said:
How big is he? Would he let you hop on and ride now? Could you pop on a kid in a cub saddle if needed to show ridden potential on lead rein? If you sold at a price reflecting his out of work self but were able to show him ridden, even to a LR home for £1500, you’d have more options.
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12ish hands but takes leg fairly well. I can hop and ride him now - he's just unfit. Unfortunately I don't have a saddle for him.
 
Chelsea Wilson said:
12ish hands but takes leg fairly well. I can hop and ride him now - he's just unfit. Unfortunately I don't have a saddle for him.
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For you to demo he is safe to ride, bareback in the field (if that is actually safe for you!) would work. You need to join Facebook even just under ‘x’s mum’ as a name. Look through the lead rein groups and the first pony one for wanted ads, also put up an ad and enjoy weeding through the responses to find some decent ones! Lead rein work doesn’t really need much in the way of fitness when starting out. Video yourself tomorrow on him, put the ad up ready for weekend viewings. Find a cub saddle for a little one to try him out in on Marketplace and pick up tomorrow evening.

I have the Shires pony pad and could bring that plus kids if you end up needing photos/videos of him with a child on under saddle. Oxfordshire is doable for us. If you have transport and he’d come this way I could borrow a friend’s smaller child also. Lead rein ponies find new homes very quickly with a nice picture of a 2 year old on board!

Lead rein at his age, if you think he’d be decent at it, is a lovely life. Endless pampering, lots of treats, gentle walks that slowly progress to still not a huge amount of work. Keeps them moving and loved but not too much physical effort!
 
maya2008 said:
For you to demo he is safe to ride, bareback in the field (if that is actually safe for you!) would work. You need to join Facebook even just under ‘x’s mum’ as a name. Look through the lead rein groups and the first pony one for wanted ads, also put up an ad and enjoy weeding through the responses to find some decent ones! Lead rein work doesn’t really need much in the way of fitness when starting out. Video yourself tomorrow on him, put the ad up ready for weekend viewings. Find a cub saddle for a little one to try him out in on Marketplace and pick up tomorrow evening.

I have the Shires pony pad and could bring that plus kids if you end up needing photos/videos of him with a child on under saddle. Oxfordshire is doable for us. If you have transport and he’d come this way I could borrow a friend’s smaller child also. Lead rein ponies find new homes very quickly with a nice picture of a 2 year old on board!

Lead rein at his age, if you think he’d be decent at it, is a lovely life. Endless pampering, lots of treats, gentle walks that slowly progress to still not a huge amount of work. Keeps them moving and loved but not too much physical effort!
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You know nothing about this pony, but you're happy to throw some children on.... Really?
 
kaiserchief said:
I didn't know that but it's great to know that a central organisation has it all in hand :)
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The Exmoor Pony Community is tightly knit & very supportive. MMT are a wonderful organisation who facilitate homing for ponies after the gathers, along with coordinating grazing & supporting those who take on ponies.
I should add my credentials. I'm an area rep for the Exmoor Pony Society. Most on here know who I am.
 
Darcey69 said:
You know nothing about this pony, but you're happy to throw some children on.... Really?
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Leaving aside I'd throw Maya's kids on anything (they have more experience backing ponies than most adults) she's telling the OP to get on bareback first and get some footage.

My friend sold an unbroken Shetland companion and got photos 3 months later of him attending a children's hunt meet with toddler on board. Lots of smalls do very well on the lead rein, its first ridden that can be more of a challenge.
 
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