can see why people buy rather than loan from charities - rant sorry -

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251libby

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Been looking into getting a pony on loan from one of the charities to act as a companion for my mare.

I dont want for much just something under 14hh, mare or gelding under 18..... thats it. I dont mind if can be ridden if it can then its a bonus.

Most charities charge you an adoption fee something between £50 and £400, they then charge you a yearly fee of around £50. They visit every 6 months unannounced (which is obviously a good idea) and with the Sussex Horse Rescue they also stipulate how you must keep the animal; some very understandable ones like; must see a farrier every six weeks, must have access to shelter etc etc, and then some others; do not rug unless absolutly necessary; we belive natives should live rugless , out 24/7 all year round, dont not let the pony get hotted up ie going to shows, jumping etc.
Now fair enough but if your going to be riding it chances are its going to need a rug.

So my options are;
Loan a horse from one of the charities, pay around £100 for adoption and then a further £50 a year, have someone sniffing round the yard every six months, and have to keep it ruggles and never excited. Chances are the poor pony will also have a history and be harder to look after as a result.

Pick up a cheap £500 4 year old welsh or shetland, and be able to do with it what I want........

I can definatly see why the charities are inundated with animals and why people are choosing to buy there own.

This is not a post to put off anyone looking into getting a pony from a charity, I'm just having a rant and sharing my experience, I think if you're looking for a ridden pony this is an excellent way of doing it, but if you are looking for a companion then it's more economic to buy your own. I woulf of loved to have helped a charity, they (in my experience) have made it a bit difficult.
 
This is exactly why I bought a pony foal - and by the way you can get one for a lot less than £500.

I had the same problem when I wanted a new puppy. It was actually a lot easier to buy a puppy than to get a rescue.
 
Have you tried the Blue Cross?
It states the following on their website:

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"Non ridden companions are rehomed under the healthcare package, which is kindly sponsored by Fort Dodge Animal Health. .....This includes financial support for an annual veterinary check, dental examination and teeth rasp, annual flu/tetanus vaccination and the supply of their first years worming."
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I'm sure I also read that they don't ask for a fee for their non-ridden companions.
 
I guess it depends on the charity. Each have their own terms and conditions

My shetland came on permenant loan from a rescue charity cost me a £50 donation/admin fee and we have had no problems at all, or unannounced visits.

In fact I speak to the girl that arranged for me to get Poppy and give her regular updates on how she is doing.

And FWIW if anything happened to one of my others I wouldn't hesitate to get another from them.
 
One of the daftest I heard was a friend with several horses who wanted a companion for an oldie she was going to retire. She's had horses all her life, is not short of cash, would have paid any donation, has numerous horsey qualifications aside from her 40+ years of experience, fantastic facilities including a vet on site yet they wouldn't let her rehome a pony. Why? Because her paddocks were not entirely post and railed. I can see their worry BUT the only part that was not post and railed was bounded by an 8' high old brick wall and was part of the old manor walled garden. We all thought it made a fantastic windbreak and suntrap for the oldies and was ultra secure but it wasn't good enough for the charity.

Daft!
 
Cee Bee and blondegirl - The blue cross will only loan within a certain radius and I'm not within it, it seems all the charities by me change the amounts I have given in my first post.
 
Have you actually spoken to any of the charities?

Most are happy to discuss terms with a perspective loaner - so do give them a ring.

As for the adoption fees, and further donations. Well we all know how charities struggle in general - and obviously in today's climate many are struggling even more (EMW may be about to close as it's funds have run dangerously low). So monies have to be raised in order to enable them to carry on rescuing and rehabilitating horses and ponies.

Many animals are comming to them under terrible circumstances. Many are elderly. So whilst some of their re-homing rules may seem rather over the top to some, there are usually excellent reasons for them to be in place.


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It frustrates me reading things like this, I know of a few people who have tried to rehome cats, dogs and rabbits from charities and didn't meet the strict criteria set.....when in reality all would have been lovely homes for life. Its madness, as instead people go out and buy kittens and puppies, probably encouraging people to carry on breeding them, and so the cycle continues!
 
JT - that is just barking
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OP - yup, sad though it is, it is often cheaper and easier to go to a sale and buy a youngster.

When I looked at putting LL into a rescue place, it was going to cost me hundreds of pounds if not thousands - they wanted to try and rehabilitate him at my expense... we've tried! Another one wanted to loan him out as a ridden pony, but we'd already said he's not really suitable for riding (13hh with handstand bucks and broncs that a rodeo horse would be proud of!). This is all why he stays with me for as long as I can afford him, and when I can't, he'll be pts.

Oops, sorry OP, got a bit carried away there!
 
I totally agree.

A friend of mine once loaned an ex racehorse from a charity. She had to pay £1500 or so as an "adoption" fee, he was totally unschooled when she got him and put loads of work onto him until he was worth at least twice what she 'paid.' When she was ready to move on though, she had to give him back to the charity.

I know that they need money to continue helping horses but I really think they are shooting themselves in the foot a lot of the time. You can pick up an ex racehorse for just a few hundred pounds, and if you want to sell them on after reschooling them, then you can make a profit - there isn't much incentive to pay a large sum for the pleasure of loaning something from a charity that comes with a whole bunch of restrictions and no way to get any recompense for all the money and work you've put in.

I think the same is true of small animal charities too. In the past I've looked into adopting a cat from a charity, and found that we wouldn't actually be allowed to have one, because we own other cats. This is despite the fact that we live right out in the country, loads of space, lots of experience with animals.

There seem to be so many silly restrictions imposed by these charities. I know they can't let their animals go to just any home, but if you hold out for a home that is "perfect" then lots of animals will miss out on a really happy life in a loving home, and spend the rest of their lives in kennels waiting for someone who ticks all the boxes.
 
I have a rescue pony that I got 4 years ago when my old horse died to act as a companion for my beautiful mare. They did not charge me anything for him, all they say is that I take full resposibility for him (vets bills, farrier, teeth, worming, vacs). He is a star and I have two little jockeys who ride him out. Not all charities are this hard to please.
 
I do think some charities need to be more realistic. Yes visits should be made but some of the restrictions are excessive.

My mother-in-law wanted to take on a new rescue dog after her lab died. She is very experienced and has also dealt with many dogs with problems and also been a dog trainer.

She was refused as her 9 year old springer is not cut. He has never been a problem that way hence he kept his nuts.

In the end she went out and bought a springer pup so some dog somewhere has missed out on an understanding home where they could have been loved for life. Could understand if she wanted a bitch, but she asked for a dog pup and agreed this could be done but would not get the older dog done so was turned down - so stupid on the charity's part.
 
sally smith - I have spoken to all the charities in my area and I know they are all very busy but haven't been very helpfull, I call 4 times in as many days and finally get a call back 3 weeks later........ surely these aren't the actions of people that actually want their animals to go to good homes??

alsxx - it's frustrating me aswel thats why I posted it, I really would have loved to have done this dont mind the checks and me and my facilities do meet the criteria but it's so much easier to get your own and I'll probably get a nicer pony without a past aswel.


Just to add I'm most definatly not against charites both my dogs are from the RSPCA
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chestnut_mare - mine was a local charity in Devon. Didn't look into the Blue Cross but if you are local to the southwest I would be quite happy to pass on their details if you are interested?

And I don't work for them (in case anyone was wondering)

And I can agree that some charties do shoot themselves in the foot when it comes to rehoming as we got put off adopting from another charity very local to where I live by their attitude
 
[ QUOTE ]
It frustrates me reading things like this, I know of a few people who have tried to rehome cats, dogs and rabbits from charities and didn't meet the strict criteria set.....when in reality all would have been lovely homes for life. Its madness, as instead people go out and buy kittens and puppies, probably encouraging people to carry on breeding them, and so the cycle continues!

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Yup
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The RSPCA wouldn't let me have kittens because I had a German Shepherd/Rottweiler cross dog, so I found a local rescue type place and bought two kittens off them. Kittens and dog got on famously
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sally smith - I have spoken to all the charities in my area and I know they are all very busy but haven't been very helpfull, I call 4 times in as many days and finally get a call back 3 weeks later........ surely these aren't the actions of people that actually want their animals to go to good homes??

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I agree - that's not good. I'd now be emailing the trustees asking for reasons why the responses have been so tardy, and telling them of your concerns generally over their administration.


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I think this is terribly sad. My experiences have been entirely positive, and I know other people who have loaned from the same charity (HAPPA) and also WHW who have had a wonderful result.

I suppose different charities have different criteria (yes, different costs too) but it does seem to me that the big 'national' charities are often those that seem to have struck the balance correctly, in the main.

To the OP - perhaps you will still be able to help a pony, without the restrictions - I would be checking the local free ads to see if there are any ponies free to good home etc, looking for retirement etc? I notice them round me from time to time, and worry about what could happen if they get into the wrong hands.
 
blondegirl - I'm in West Sussex near Worthing so if they loan this far out then yes please!

milliepops - thats my plan if I cant loan from a charity
 
I agree that some charities are so strict Prince Charles probably wouldn't be good enough for them.
I've got a Blue Cross horse, they were so good to deal with & definately know that most of us live in the real world.
I got a lovely horse from them for £350, she's quite hot & fizzy so wouldn't be for everybody but I couldn't have found a better horse for me if I'd searched the country & spent thousands.
 
There was a lady on here last week who had some youngsters that she was trying to find homes for. She'd bought them from sales to "rescue" them and was trying to sell a few. There were two shetlands, a couple of dartmoors and something around 14hh, all were 1 or 2 years old.

Might be worth searching for the post and seeing if she'd sell you one of those for £100 or so, then you could do what you wanted with them, they were all suitable to break in when old enough.
 
Blondegirl - I wonder if yours came from the same place as mine - I have one on loan from a Devon charity; they didn't set a fee at all, although I did donate (and will continue to do so) it was entirely voluntary. They weren't picky about fencing as long as what was there was safe and would keep the pony in.
All in all I found it to be a thoroughly good experience and I look forward to the visits they make.
 
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Have you actually spoken to any of the charities?

Most are happy to discuss terms with a perspective loaner - so do give them a ring.

As for the adoption fees, and further donations. Well we all know how charities struggle in general - and obviously in today's climate many are struggling even more (EMW may be about to close as it's funds have run dangerously low). So monies have to be raised in order to enable them to carry on rescuing and rehabilitating horses and ponies.

Many animals are comming to them under terrible circumstances. Many are elderly. So whilst some of their re-homing rules may seem rather over the top to some, there are usually excellent reasons for them to be in place.


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Good post, agree
 
This reminds me of when my parents were turned down after they applied to re-home 3 kittens from a charity. My parents live in an idyllic farmhouse in a very rural area, and are a long way away from any main roads. There is a lovely courtyard with brick stables next to the house, and a big hay barn. The charities were apparently 'appalled' when my parents explained they would sleep in the hay barn!

So in the end they bought some kittens privately, and they lived very long, healthy, happy lives.
 
Obviously not the Devon Charity I had one from. Asked for an elderly/quiet small pony as a companion only. They wouldn't let me go meet the pony first, but just turned up with a wild newly gelded colt straight off the moors.
When we had to return him, for many reasons, they got so rude and stroppy and said I should never be allowed to look at horses, let alone go near one.
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I did have to pay a fee, accept 6 monthly visits (expected) but the rest was by an inspection which just wanted decent grazing, available shelter, and suitable fencing/hedges. i was expected to pay everything for it's upkeep (isn't that to be expected?)
I have the same issue with small animal and equine charities, such as others are experiencing, too.
I, like many others, with large and small animals, ended up buying instead.
 
I didn't have to make a regular donation or adhere to any crazy terms when I aquired any of my rescue animals. I guess that's because I take on animals from local charities that are literally on there last chance, both Lady and my dog had been rehomed unsuccessfully several times.

Saying that when I was looking for a new horse I couldn't find a suitable one from a charity that would rehome to us as we have barbed wire fencing in some of our fields (Ada Cole and Redwings) which I found a bit of a joke really considering I could provide references from another rehoming charity, my vet, farrier and several horsey places where I'd worked.
 
tabithakat64
When I was looking at the charities, I noticed many of them wouldn't consider a home with barbed wire. I know it isn't ideal but the worst fencing related injuries I have seen were caused by post & rail or electric fencing.
The Blue Cross don't have a problem with barbed wire as long as it is in good condition.
I talked to the field officer about it when she came out to home check me & she explained that they had considered not rehoming with barbed wire but they didn't as they realised they would lose out on too many new homes for their horses.
 
I totally agree.
Some criteria just have to be adhered to to avoid the "Mummy, Mummy, I want a pony" family actually managing to acquire one from somewhere.
However, I do think that some do go rather over the top as to their criteria and then put off very good, loving and experienced homes.
With dinky-wees, I would not consider barbed-wire fencing a serious problem whatsoever.
What I would consider a problem is the "its cruel to starve them" if the pony has a tendency towards laminitis.
Some half-wits have no idea that it is far better for some ponies to be kept in the sin-bin rather than fetlock deep in clover.
 
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A friend of mine once loaned an ex racehorse from a charity. She had to pay £1500 or so as an "adoption" fee, he was totally unschooled when she got him and put loads of work onto him until he was worth at least twice what she 'paid.' When she was ready to move on though, she had to give him back to the charity.

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Quite right too! A charity aims to give a horse/pony a home for life! People shouldn't take on a horse from a charity expecting to make a profit!!

Not had experience of loaning from a charity myself! Sounds like it's a bit hit and miss!!
 
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