Has anyone ever taken on a horse from the RSPCA or other charity?

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SarahLouise83

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Location
County Durham (Consett area)
www.aceanimals.co.uk
Just wondering if anyone on here has ever rescued a horse from an RSPCA equine centre or indeed another charity?

Curious really as I'm contemplating putting in an application form and was wondering what people thought, those of you who have done it anyway!
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I filled in a form for the Blue Cross, once. Trouble is, it took so long, I had found a pony elsewhere by the time they contacted me, months later. When you've got a pony on its own, you can't wait that long!
 
Similar experience with FranSurrey

I tried with the RSPCA once and they took weeks to get back to me (I only wanted a companion pony), then they took weeks to even tell me when they would visit so by this time I had found something else locally.

Another time I tried the ILPH, they got in touch very quickly and I went to visit one of their farms. I wanted a very quiet companion pony as I was keeping my horse at home for the first time and he needed company, but I needed something really easy to do as I was worried about having them at home for the first time. They paired me up with an unhandled youngster that looked really wild, and I walked away. I was quite surprised at how ill-advised the pairing was to be honest!
 
I know someone that got a horse from horseworld, and they failed to tell her that the horse had old showjumping injuries and when she brought it up after numerous vets bills they were like...oh yes should of mentioned that (she had rescued the horse under the impression she could compete it, its been off work for a year and can now only do light work) they also are terrible at keeping in contact!

good luck!
 
I rehomed a pony 12 years ago from a local animal sanctury, the weren't as honest about her ridden behaviour and other issues. But twelve years on I still have the pony on permenanty loan and she's now semi-retired and 100% in everyway just fizzy to ride. What I will say is you are unlikely to find a rescue that doesn't have any problems.
 
A friend of mine had a horse from the rspca, he was badly treated as a foal, he was there for 2 years before rehoming him, my friend took him on at 3. He is lovely!! I broke him in, in July, he is doing really really well. They come and check on him every 6 months for the first year then once a year from then onwards. x
 
Ah good, its good to hear some people have had good experiences - if a little tricky with regards to some charities/sanctuaries not being as honest as they should.

It does make you wary doesn't it. I work for the RSPCA which has its own specialist equine centre unit. I'm dabbling in the idea of putting my details forward for as and when something suitable comes along. But as it'd be my first horse/pony I'm still in two minds.

I'm a confident and experienced rider and handler but I'd rather just have a nice sensible easy to do horse/pony with it being my first one.
 
We rehomed a Blue Cross horse years ago although we actually rehomed him from someone else so we didn't get him direct from the Blue Cross, I guess they must have agreed to transfer the loan (no idea how it worked). As a 'bonus' though we also got his donkey friend that the current owners had bought separately to be his companion - they were inseparable.

The horse was 22 when we got him, we rode him for a few years - he had one hell of a buck in him - but then he became unsteady on his feet so wasn't really safe to hack. The Blue Cross would visit once a year or so and would take pictures, check his general well being and that was about it. He died aged 36, shortly after we'd had to have his donkey and another elderly pony companion of his PTS.

Have you thought about taking on a donkey instead maybe? Although I am sure there are plenty of horse charities out there who are ful to the brim.
 
I have one on loan from SWHP who are absolutely BRILLIANT! The pony is everything I asked for and they always ring back straight away if you call and leave a message. I'm about to take another pony from them on a short term summer loan too.
Before I contacted SWHP I went to the ILPH and saw a couple of possible companion ponies. I filled in the necessary forms - and they rang me back 18 months later!!!
 
I am afraid we have tried twice with Blue Cross - would have accepted anything really as a companion for my gelding and weeks later they came back to us after we had found something else on both occasions....
 
Yes from a local rescue charity and I never will again.
First pony went and viewed to take on as a companion a few years back,went through home check etc,paid 150 as it was at the time then when pony came to us we found out that it could not be put in a stable any size door and it would find a way to climb over,complete nightmare so he lasted 2 weeks before going back and we got a pony from somewhere else.Sanctuary swore blind he had never done it before but I have had horses all my life and he was far to accomplished at it.
Second pony form same sanctuary (yes I did go back but after a number of years and management there etc had changed) taken on 18 yr old ideal kids pony this time at a cost of 300 within a week realised pony had COPD phoned sanctuary they said it had never had before,vet came out who said by the looks of the heave lines pony had suffered for a number of years,anyway chance you take with an animal so put on ventapulmin. Pony turned out to be a complete nutter when in season,not when we went to see her, only an experienced adult could handle her when hormones got the better of her and she had to be stabled (not great with breathing problems) everytime she came into season as she would go through any fence,hedge or wall to get to the geldings,turned her out one day when we didnt realisa she had come into season and trying to catch her she reared ripped the rope through the OH's hand ripping his skin with it and went straight through a wire fence to the other field.when we phoned the sanctuary to pick her up I was told ''Oh yes she can be a bit marey sometimes''
Now got lovely little pony on loan from a private home and would never try a sanctuary again,I understand ponys there are probably there for a reason and will have problems but the people who work there should work to find out the problems and rehome accordingly and give loaners all the facts.
Sorry if this turned into a bit of a rant
Hot choccie and cookies to all x
 
I have had 2 from ILPH and had good experiences. First time I contacted them they got back to me quite quickly and after a home check took me to see a pony who was palced quite lcoally to me but owners couldn't keep her. I liked her and paperwork was filled in there and then and collected her about a week later. Sadly she was pts a couple of years later and I was fairly desperate for anothr pony as my donkey was pining badly. ILPH Field officer told me about someone about 30 miles away who had contacted them to take a pony. He hadn't even seen this pony but I went down liked her, and he posted the paperwork to them to complete. Again I had her within a week. This was quite a while ago, 1989 and 1991 respectively, so maybe things are a bit different today. In both cases they were companion ponies.
 
my freind got 3 from the blue cross, all to be ridden and all to be lightly competed, the odd local show but mainly hacking and a bit of jumping.... all 3 turned out very well, they still have them all, but all 3 were not welfare cases, they came from people who could not afford or whatever to keep the horses any more, but i would agree it is luck of the draw!
 
I took on a rescue horse from a sanctury and it really put me off! I was paired up with an unbacked youngster, who, when I viewed him was very quiet and kind. A few days after bringing him home, he was ok, but then started to become quite nasty, and at one point bit my friend on her head!
We started the backing porcess and he reared up and went over with me!
I called the centre, who weren't very helpful, so I decided to have him collected!
I paid £200 to have him, which ok goes to costs of his rescue etc, but I had him not even 3 months, and although they said I could have something else in return, they never contacted me.... that was 3 years ago!

SOME rescue centres though are fab! I went to try a gorgeous youngster in 2007 at Redwings. They were very professional, and and had quite a few applicants for this particular horse. I was the lucky choosen one, but sadly due to a relationship split, I had to turn him down, I was gutted. They were very understanding, and told me to call them once I was sorted if I ever wanted to view anything else!
 
I've got an ILPH pony, have had her for just over 10 years now, she's now about 25 and retired. She's been the most fantastic pony
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Before her we had a 4 year old from them. He was cracking and when i outgrew him (I was 10ish) he went back and we got the mare
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My mare is from Bransby Home of Rest for Horses. I had her as a green 5 year old - she was taken in following a prosecution by the RSPCA and had her foal there when she was 3. She is fantastic in everyway - to ride, in the stable etc - I have had her for years now and have done a lot with her but she still had a nice temperament to start with. Bransby only have two rehoming schemes - one for horses to be ridden and one for companions. All the horses have a basic vetting before rehoming - they do not rehome any with major health issues - and they have 2 IH RA's that work up there with them so that all the horses,ponys and donkeys there have good manners and can be handled when they get to their new homes. They only take in rescues/neglect cases so do their best to make sure any horse that is going out in their foster scheme is as healthy and as well handled as possible as they want them to stay in their foster homes so they have room for more desperate cases. I think they have over 100 out as riding horses - you obviously have to expect to put in some schooling work with them.

Here is a piccy of my girl

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My second pony was from Happa although she wasn't a rescue pony. We got her as our friend had her from a foal - through happa. She was amazing. Happa were good and came once a year.

My dad had a horse from the ILPH. We collected her from her previous loan home and she looked like a rescue case! My dad worked really hard with her and only gave her back when she did her tendons (her tendons had always looked dodgy so it was obviously a old injury). She was only lame for 2 days but went back to ILPH and was found a new home as a hack. The ILPH couldn't believe it was the same horse when my dad took her back as she walked straight into the stable! It took my dad 2 months to get her in our stables when she first arrived!

I would get another one but the good ones get snapped up very quickly.
 
I have a hanovarian x TB from rescue, he is wonderful but has created me a lot of worry over the years as he has been on and off lame ever since I have had him. I think you are very lucky to get something totally suitable from rescue as they wouldn't generally be sent there if they were viable to sell on. I think you might be lucky under the current climate as so many have been sent to rescue for financial reasons rather than health or behaviour. It's definitely worth a try and I wish you good luck
 
Awww your mare is gorgeous slinkyunicorn. Thanks for posting up the piccie. And thanks to everyone else for their info too. Like you say toto, I suppose the good ones will always get snapped up quickly. And I guess with me having a height requirement of around 14.2hh (ish!) and my dream horse would be something with an easy-to-do attitude, good in every way, ideally capable of living out in all but the most torrential weather, etc, etc.... I'm guessing they'll go REALLY quickly!! :-D
 
Yes.
Got a sec a as a companion. Wanted one that was good to lead and would enjoy attention ect.
well we got an evil little madam.
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Not at all what they said.
She is so grumpy, she will kick given any chance, likes to take a chunk out of you and rears when lead if she doesn't want to go somewhere.
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The centre came to see where we would be keeping her and have been in contact once, never been to see her since we got her nearly a year ago.
Yes we still have her and i adore the little madam.
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Should have said we allo have a mini shetland from the same rescue as a companion. She is a sweetie - loves cuddles and fuss - has never bitten or kicked! Bransby check on all their horses/ponies 3 or 4 times a year, love pictures of them and hearing how they are getting on - used to be able to take them back to do the open days for the home but unfortunately they have had to stop that now after an outbreak of strangles last year. All their horses are now scoped and certified as strangles free.
 
I re homed from a local sanctuary once, it was an absolute nightmare because they just sent an unseen pony, straight off the moors, bolshy, unhandled etc, no matching of requirements for my other (old and quiet)pony etc. Eventually I had to send it back, and got a very stroppy long phone call telling me I was cruel, evil, dangerous and unfit to be anywhere a pony
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I won't give the Sanctuary name but I am sure other sanctuaries do NOT act in the same way, and would say, if you want to, thousands of people do and are very happy, so have a chat and give it a try.
 
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