Companion ponies: Sourcing?

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deskbound

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Hello all, Happy New Year....

Does anyone have any experience of loaning companion ponies from charities? Who would you recommend, and what sort of vetting process was involved? Ultimately, did it work well?

I need a friend, principally to be turned out with my Intermediate horse (so it must not kick / bite / be laminitic etc) and also to be a general companion from time to time, part stabled, part turned out. If it could go for an occasional hack with a nervous rider that would be great, but not essential.

Thoughts welcome, diet coke & reese's pieces on offer....
 
no idea about charity loaning. Have got a shetland which is a great companion but not suitable to be ridden as he's only a yearling.

I felt it was easier to buy something so that I have him long term and can decide how he is kept. He doesn't kick, bite, etc and is cheap to keep! (and he isn't laminitic)
 
I looked into loaning from a charity but they all wanted large rehoming fees and were quite prescriptive about things like insurance.

In the end I bought a mini shetland from preloved. He's small enough to stand underneath Genio so while he doesn't bite or kick he wouldn't do much harm even if he did. He's an ideal companion in that he is happy to be turned out with Genio or on his own so I can leave him on his own while we go for a short hack without having to have a companion for my companion. He doesn't need any hard feed, hardly eats any hay and doesn't need shoes or rugs. I know this all sounds a bit tight but he is happy and healthy. If I wanted to have one that needed rugs and shoes etc I'd have another one that was fully rideable rather than a companion.
 
Many years ago we had a couple from HAPPA which were fine, not sure about how much their homing fee is though, sorry
There is one girl on our yard which has from there currently which is suitable for light hacking
Not so sure where you are in the country but they do have a centre in the Wye Valley as well as up here in Lancs
It maybe worth a phone call and there is a list of what is available on their web-site
Hope that helps :)
 
Similar to wellsat, I looked into rehoming from a charity when I needed a new companion pony about a year ago (previous one passed away at the grand old age of 35). They all wanted a fair bit of money, and some insisted that you paid an annual fee for one reason or another. I can see why they did it, but that and the need to be available for regular visits (again I can see why but its more hassle in my already busy life) really put me off.

I ended up acquiring a Dartmoor Hill Pony for next to nothing, she'll be 2 in the spring and in a couple of years I will either back her for my son to ride, if he wants to, or she will just be a companion for ever, I might even consider giving driving a go.
 
One of mine comes from Animal ARC and they were very good to deal with.

There are lots of ponies available for loan and for sale very cheaply and it's probably easier to go down that route.
 
Thanks all. I'd rather not buy for a number of reasons, but its disappointing (albeit not a surprise) to hear that charities can be tricky. I'll look into HAPPA, thanks, and all thoughts welcome.
 
I have a fantastic companion on loan from a charity Bransby - sadly they only loan in within c.2 hours of Lincoln so not sure they'd be suitable.
I found the whole experience stress free, one home visit before I went to their centre and took my pick, he has no shoes/ rugs/ hard feed but is 14hh as I was really worried about trying to restrict grazing for the tiny fatties. They come every 6 months or so so see him and pre arrange this for a convenient time for me - not a great hassle really.
I like the feeling of doing good by freeing up a space at their centre for a more deserving case, and should the need arise he can go back to them at a moments notice no quibble.
There was no loaning fee and the insist on third party liability (which I would want anyway and is only £60 with BHS)

The blue cross do an even better scheme currently where they part fund the companion (money for wormers/ vaccs etc) - it's new since I took mine on (5 years ago) but thought it look excellent value and they might be more local to you.

I'd be really careful with a potential fatty, a friend of mine bought a 'lives on fresh air' type and she spends so much time making tiny escape proof pens, soaking hay, muzzling, keeping in during the summer etc. just to keep weight off it's mad. The closer match to your horses nutritional needs the better would be my advice.
 
Agree that companion ponies can be more hassle then there worth espec with the fencing and the fact that they can't have much grass in summer or can't go out on frozen grass.
 
I have two companion ponies from Redwings, i wanted two to avoid any seperation issues, and these two are very bonded, and operate as one unit! There was no charge and the ponies are checked annually by the Charity, they are only 11hh ponies, so not backed and ridden, but there are ones available that can be ridden. I have had these ponies for about 15yrs now, and they are very useful, one is a little prone to laminitis, but i just restrict his grazing a bit and the summer and hes fine. They live out all year round, but are happy to come in if i need them to, I would really recommend the charity route and if your circumstances change you can always return them. There are so many charities stuggling with so many horses/ponies that it seems such a shame not to help them if you can.
 
Deskbound is it only a pony you are after? It's just Finn is turned out with the babies, he is the easiest horse in the world, lives in lives out, can be left on his own etc, etc, he is sound but we retired him. He would relish a bit more love if you get stuck and I reckon has another 10 years left x
 
J, do please try the Society for the Welfare of Horses and Ponies (SWHP) based at St Maughans near Monmouth. They are a tiny charity which does amazing work, and are always looking for loan homes, particularly for, for instance, young ponies which they have rescued as foals and need a few years at grass before they can be broken and given a job to do. They have loads of ponies as they rescue them from the Welsh valleys.

As far as I know there are no rehoming fees, they are incredibly grateful for offers like yours, although obviously they vet homes carefully. They never sell or give their ponies away, just loan them.

The lady in charge is Jennie MacGregor - do tell her you know me as I know her well :)
 
Gosh, thanks all for the ideas. Glad I'm not barking up a completely wrong tree - I see no point in buying something when there are so many in need of a decent home for a while, provided I can find something amenable (and not feral!!). TD will look at that one, and TC at HHS - Worried1, please can you tell me a bit more about Finn?
 
Finn is a 16.1hh ISH, I have Owned him for nearly 5 years, kind easy to do, he was retired in the summer as we found changes in knees, hocks, back and although minor the vets thought there were too many niggles to realistically inject everywhere so he had Tildren and was turned it with my youngsters where is living out, he is an excellent doer, currently no hard feed just grass and hay, no shoes on, no rugs. Sensible in that he will not be bullied but doesn't look for trouble, been out with foals, mares in foal, mares and foals, competition horses as their nanny. Can be left on his own, either in a stable or a field, never clingy.
He has some money on his card BS and was a BD superstar! Hacked out alone and in company, but could be spooky, never nasty just a bit jumpy! He could do hack but I was lucky that I had the space to turn him out so turned him away, I feel guilty he isn't preened and loved like he was :rolleyes:
 
I know the RSPCA loan ponies out when they are young till breaking age. Met a few that people have been happy with.
I would be very careful with anything shetland/small pony/ good doer wise. I have met tonnes of people through work who have got themselves one and the hassle with laminitis, weight etc has been almost as much work as their original horse!
 
you could buy one for less than the fee the charities will charge you, or if you ask around there may well be someone with a old pony or similar needing a home. My current companion pony was sourced via a friend of a friend. He is a Shetland, but other than needing to be careful over the amount of grass he gets in the summer he is very low maintenance and happy to be alone all day if i am off competing, eats hardly any hay etc.
 
Deskbound from memory are you nr Cambs? A friend has a 14h pony looking for a companion home, easy to do quiet chap and a good boy in the field. Pm if any use :)
 
I got a companion pony from WHW in June 2012. The fee was just £50 and I have to be a member which I think was about the same again.

I applied on line for the pony I thought most suitable, went to visit her at the centre and then we had a home visit which was very straightforward. The WHW even delivered her for us for a donation. I haven't seen or heard from the WHW since but they do do unannounced visits so they may have been to check on her whilst I wasn't around.

The whole process was much easier than I was expecting & I would definitely recommend trying the WHW if there is a centre reasonably close to you.
 
I'd say try the Blue Cross as they have a new scheme of they pay half of the companion - worming, vet bills ect :) But i think you do have to still pay a adoption fee so it may just be easier to purchase a yearling or something green or something that can be ridden but can just stay in the field - In other words i suggest you just buy a cheap yearling or pony that is going to be £500 or something??
 
Try the Animal Health Trust. They rehome lots of 3/4yo welsh section As after they have been used for clinical trials in testing the efficacy of flu vaccinations. I think the cost of buying one is £60 and that is an outright purchase. They are all well looked after, very lightly handled and easy to keep (non laminitic, used to being turned out as well as barn kept, cheap to feed).
 
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