Anyone got a horse from a rescue charity? Experiences please...

MiJodsR2BlinkinTite

MiJodsR2BlinkinTite

Well-Known Member
Joined
16 February 2009
Messages
11,503
Location
Slopping along on a loose rein somewhere in Devon
Visit site
As title really.

Just wanting people's experiences, both good and bad, of rehoming horses from rescue organisations.

I'm looking for a horse at the moment and this is an option; however whilst I DO have access to excellent professional help, in all honesty I'm not sure I'd be able to cope with something too badly traumatised and/or with big "issues".

I'd be particularly interested in the follow-up and whether the rescue offer ongoing support after the adoption process is completed.
 
Have never rehomed from a charity, so no help I'm afraid. Just want to wish you luck in your search for a horse and also to say that I remember a very sad post on here a little while ago.. The lady rehomed a horse from a charity who turned out to be carrying strangles. It in turn infected her existing horse. I think they were both pts. I've not remembered all the details but do remember being surprised at the time that horses up for rehoming weren't routinely screened (perhaps I've got this wrong and they are and this one slipped through the net), but something to bear in mind?
 
I have a little companion pony from a sanctuary - she is a little charmer, well handled, and exactly 'what it said on the tin'!

I found the charity very good - matching the pony to the home offered. We were very upfront about our management regime and what we could and couldn't deal with. There will be home checks and a loan agreement obviously so you and the sanctuary can discuss all the details if you decide to go ahead. For the pony's sake they are usually looking for long-term/permanent homes that will suit the pony in question.

PS I see you are Devon-based - there are some well-regarded and good sanctuaries in your area.
 
Last edited:
Over the years we have had three different horses from charities and all worked out just fine.

first one was a big cob from the ILPH ( now called WHW) many years ago, for me and sister when we were 12 and 13 and we had him from age of 14 till he died at 33 !
he was probably thinking back, a little monkey and not schooled at all, but we loved him and did everything with him and did not come to any harm!
the other two were for my daughter a welsh section A- when she was aged 3 then another 13hh show type pony when she was 7 till 12.

both we had to put work into , which we expected, but daughter loved and had great fun with both and certainly figured out how to ride and stay on from an early age :-)

I think nowadays the charities put a lot more time and effort into matching horse to home and rider than they used to , when we got our first cob, we went to see them, tried him had a good chat loaded him and and took him home :-)

there are some real gems to be had if you look around, plus you are helping the charity to rehome an animal and if anything ever happened you always know the horse can go back there without worrying about its future.
 
Last edited:
Had super-millie on loan from a charity for 12 years so far :)
Couldn't comment on follow up these days, I didn't need anything but my experience was that anything really screwed up wouldn't get onto the rehoming programme.

Definitely worth a look. There are some hidden gems out there :)
 
I have two from WHW, both adopted at 2 and they're now four. The process has been good, they were rehomed as companions/projects to bring on, which WHW now lists lots of its horses as if you want a youngster.

Sarah from WHW visits me twice a year which is basically to see if they've got four legs each and aren't too fat essentially! One that I adopted is a mule, so he's a bit different with respect to training etc as he just thinks so differently. The pony is a sweetie really, and pretty amenable to msot things, even if he isn't handled all the time.
 
I've fostered two young companion ponies successfully from the RSPCA. I think that first pick of good riding animals tend to go to people who are already known to the charities, which is fair enough. The good ones are probably spoken for before they are listed on any adoption website. I recommend that you have a good look round a rescue or two, even if you have to travel a fair distance to get to them. Introduce yourself to the staff, and you may well be bumped further up the list to adopt than someone who applies on line only.

Some of the animals will have been born into the charity's care, so will not have been neglected or ill treated.

Good luck.
 
We did! we got a 13hh highland x from ILPH now known as WHW. He was a flipping dude! took me and my sister all the way through pc and was generally an epic pony, turned his hoof to everything, did have a few quirks, diliked men greatly and tractors other than that thou you wouldnt have known he was a rescue. He was sadly pts at the grand old age of 25 we kept him for years after his retirement he was part of the family! Still miss the little man :)
 
I had two young cobs from Blue Cross, and had great support at all times from them. I would recommend them, and I found the young Cobs were so rewarding to work with.

They do not let horses or poniess out to rehome until they have assessed the animal at their centre, and think they are ready for moving on, and then they asses your abilities on a school horse if you want a ridden horse. Your facilities will also be checked out and you have regular visits and contact from a member of their team.

You have nothing to lose by talking to one of equine rehomeing charities, or check out their Web sites, they have some lovely animals all in need of a home..
 
I had a Shetland from a charity as a companion for my big lad.

The charity knew me and dropped him off less than 24 hours after I first called them.

Rolo was 18 months old, and pretty much feral, straight off Shetland Moor, as we realised as he burst from the trailer and trotted in.

I had a lot of fun teaching him to lead, pick feet, lunge. long rein and ride.

After 5 years we had 2 big horses and called the charity, it took them a bit longer to pick up, but were happy that the untrained youngster was now a beautiful riding pony. The new owners came straight to us, and we kept in touch for a while.

Rolo even did pony rides at the kids' school for the school fair.

TBH we had no contact from the charity in that 5 years, but nor would I have particularly wanted it.
 
Yes mine is from WHW, had him just coming up to two years now. He's my soul mate although he's not always easy but he was a stallion until he was six.

He's checked twice a year, like Stencilface says to check he has four legs and isn't too fat.

His welfare officer is lovely. The only thing I feel is it would of been nice to have a bit more info on what he was like with them as that would have been helpful. I've had to ask for a lot of extra information.

I researched myself about where he was rescued from as he was actually part of a fairly high profile case and was easy to find on Internet.
 
I do! Have had him 9 years now and he's 28. A 14.1 Arab x who was a JA show jumper before he was neglected. He is an amazing pony and still going strong.
 
I have a mare from the Blue Cross - she came as a companion (she'd been poorly ) but two and a half years later I've just had her backed (I've retired my own mare). She really is lovely - so sweet and will hopefully rebuild my confidence in horses. The Blue Cross check on her once or twice a year, which is more than fine.
 
Please check the charity out aswell though . We have one near us that is pretty dodgy . Theey ask for a donation then send the horse to you . Frequently the horse is not as described so you then return it . Nice little income there .
 
I got my older boy from a rescue centre. He was 11, overweight and very green. Also very obnoxious on the ground. I used to volunteer at the rescue so knew all this when they offered him to me.

I didn't get any followup in terms of help schooling him etc. He had no trauma, was born at rescue after dam was rescued in foal, but had basically gone a bit feral.

They check up on him with site check every six months and have done for the nearly 7 years I have had him. I keep them informed of how he is doing. He has turned out to be my horse of a lifetime and I wouldn't be without him.
 
I've had one via bluecross, had a riding assessment on chosen steed and they checked where I was to keep him. They come twice a year to check in weight etc as said before. Bluecross pay ongoing fees for companions too, so for vet checks and worming I beleive, this is supported by one of the feed companies I think. For ridden you pay all ongoing fees which seems fair.
 
I have a companion pony from WHW. However, as my ridden pony has now retired I've been looking to do a swap for a ridden one and have been keeping my eye out for over 12 months and contacting the two local-ish charities fairly regularly. In this time there have been so, so few ridden horses available and the few that have been have either been light hack only or under 14hh. It's frustrating as I'd rather re-home if possible but there just doesn't seem to be anything available.

Taking on my companion though was very straightforward and they even delivered her for me as I have no transport. She gets checked twice a year in theory but we've not seen anyone for a while now - she's been here nearly 4 years.
 
A friend of mine has had one from the Mare and Foal Sanctuary Nr Totnes. She was a youngster when they first had her and she has turned out to be a cracker. I believe they have several horses as well as small ponies.
I do know they also check up on them once a year.
 
I've got a Blue Cross horse, she's a beautiful mare, I make a point of telling people where she came from & they are always shocked that such a quality horse came from a charity.
She's a real hot head so not for everybody but I love her, I did an assessment on another horse before they let me get on her. After I'd hacked her out I was offered the chance to go away & think about it but I fell for her & said I'd have her; I've never regreted it.
The Blue Cross have been supportive (she was very ill a few years ago & nearly died) without interfering, they did speak to my vet but once they'd spoken to him they were happy to leave me to it.
 
Our Shetland companion pony is from a re homing charity, they where very good with the process and the pony was fully up to date with teeth/vacs/feet when he came to us and they call to check on him every 6 months or so. They informed us that he was quiet reserved, not keen on men and really didn't like dogs - so where made well aware.

I know its a big difference having a riding horse to a companion! But the pony has been fab and has come on leaps and bounds in his confidence and my dad often looks after him while I'm away and has no problem with my working cocker running around the yard and now his cheeky personality really has shone through!
 
I got mine from a charity a year and a half ago. The person responsible for his care was great, honest and wouldn't let me take him until he was confident he was ready. The rehoming officer only seemed bothered about getting the horse off their site, and was trying to get me to collect when Spyro still had strangles (he was symptomless but carrying, his caretaker was insistent he needed further pouch washes but the rehoming officer wanted him gone before he'd been deemed clear). I was very lucky to have the care giver on my side otherwise he would have come and infected my whole yard.

Horse has since had to have OCD surgery because of how emaciated he was as a young colt - his joints suffered from lack of nutrition. He's also very vet shy but we're getting over this. They're not without baggage, but I love my boy and wouldn't be without him. He's very rewarding.

I would adopt from them again, but with my eyes wide open - had I just listened to the rehoming officer this would not have been a story with a positive side (like that poor poster who's rescue companion infected her healthy horse).

Screenshot_2016-03-15-15-28-52.png


IMG_20160224_205440.jpg


IMG_20160224_205835.jpg
 
I have a companion pony / daughters lead rein pony from a local rescue (Hungry Horse Outside). They contacted me when I advertised and were the best contact I had. Most callers wanted to sell me feral ponies with no passport!

7154139_orig.jpg


They had started him under saddle and taken him to one show on the lead rein. I was very clear about my priorities, in particular wanting something that wasn't clingy as two horses at home can be such a nightmare with seperation anxiety. He was passported, gelded (had been entire when impounded), teeth and feet done etc. They delivered him for me, and gave me advice on initial worming etc.

I haven't had any direct contact with them since (just facebook posts etc) but I know they are completely swamped and wasn't particularly wanting or expecting any.

I had a few unpleasant surprises (like the fact he didn't have any foot handling training / knowledge, that seems to have been missed in the starting process) but nothing too serious.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top