I’m tentatively thinking about…

SpotsandBays

SpotsandBays

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Fostering/rescuing a miniature/small pony?

I have a 30yr old miniature and last year she lost her field mate. She’s too small and old to go out with my big lot (who would probably bully her) so she’s quite happily living with my sheep but I do wonder whether she misses the equine interaction (grooming etc). She doesn’t follow the sheep herd around the fields but will snooze with them sometimes and she does like to know where they are.

Ideally I’d be looking for something similar to her, a quieter type that doesn’t need restricted grazing. I’ve had a look on some of the rescue sites and they appear to be mostly youngsters. I’m also not sure whether I’d like to rescue or foster (given that I don’t know how many more years I’ll have with her) - although knowing me I probably wouldn’t want to hand one back once I’ve had them for a little while anyway.

I’m in Buckinghamshire - is there anywhere other than the usual Blue cross/redwings/mare & foal sanctuary?

Talk me into/out of this!

Also, here’s a picture for pony tax. IMG_6403.jpeg
 
Bransby in Lincolnshire often has minis looking for home. Lovely idea to give an older mini a home but beware. I did just that 3 years ago. My 25yo mini had lost his lifelong friend and I thought he might be lonely even though he had my Dartmoor in the adjoining field for company. I found a 19yo rescue advertised online, she was supposed to be kind, gentle but semi feral and very hard to catch. All seemed perfect when she arrived. The 2 ponies appeared to be great friends from the word go and I could work on the "feral" side of things. But unbeknown to me the new pony started intimidating my old boy, so he went off his food and lost weight. In the end I moved new pony in with my Dartmoor which has worked out well and old pony is thriving on his own again. So be aware, it doesn't always work out as you would hope.....
 
winnie said:
Bransby in Lincolnshire often has minis looking for home. Lovely idea to give an older mini a home but beware. I did just that 3 years ago. My 25yo mini had lost his lifelong friend and I thought he might be lonely even though he had my Dartmoor in the adjoining field for company. I found a 19yo rescue advertised online, she was supposed to be kind, gentle but semi feral and very hard to catch. All seemed perfect when she arrived. The 2 ponies appeared to be great friends from the word go and I could work on the "feral" side of things. But unbeknown to me the new pony started intimidating my old boy, so he went off his food and lost weight. In the end I moved new pony in with my Dartmoor which has worked out well and old pony is thriving on his own again. So be aware, it doesn't always work out as you would hope.....
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Glad it worked out well for you in the end. This is why I’m leaning towards adoption or fostering, as I’m thinking If the match doesn’t suit then I might be able to swap and try again
 
SpotsandBays said:
I do keep looking at this one…
As horrible as it sounds, she’s more than I want to pay for how uncertain her health is (she looks so uncomfortable in that second photo ☹️, would I be signing myself up for vets bills?)
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This little lady tugs at my heartstrings too, as mentioned even if just for a summer of care then PTS before winter (her actual health depending of course) but currently I don't have the space for her even temporarily. If it were this time next year 🫣
 
Amymay Again said:
I'd be happy to chip in on her purchase.
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As SpotsandBays and the little mare are both in Buckinghamshire, and her price has already been reduced, wondering if the owners would accept £200 cash. If enough of us helped with her purchase, it wouldn't be very much each. Be even better if we could raise enough to cover a Cushings test, and a course of medication. EG, 40 people, it would only be £10 each.
 
Wizardsnecklace said:
As SpotsandBays and the little mare are both in Buckinghamshire, and her price has already been reduced, wondering if the owners would accept £200 cash. If enough of us helped with her purchase, it wouldn't be very much each. Be even better if we could raise enough to cover a Cushings test, and a course of medication. EG, 40 people, it would only be £10 each.
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Me too.
 
Wizardsnecklace said:
As SpotsandBays and the little mare are both in Buckinghamshire, and her price has already been reduced, wondering if the owners would accept £200 cash. If enough of us helped with her purchase, it wouldn't be very much each. Be even better if we could raise enough to cover a Cushings test, and a course of medication. EG, 40 people, it would only be £10 each.
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Love the idea and that poor little mare but a huge ask of S&B. The heartache could be a lot to take on.
Eta although of course I'd put my £10 in!
 
Oh dear lord - I thought you’d all gone soft(er), but then I clicked on the ad. Is that woman holding the poor thing up? Tell me where to send my tenner!
 
So after posting this thread, I had a bit of a look through the various rehoming sites then went down an internet rabbit hole looking at my old girls pedigree having known she was bred in her previous homes. Turns out that one of the colts she had went on to be a breeding stallion and that she had grandbabies out there too!

Cue me searching on Facebook to see if I could find some photos and I stumbled across a page that I believed owned the little stallion (son), so I popped them a message just to get some more info on his life and let them know his mum was still around. They responded that they had borrowed him for a season so didn’t own him and had since packed up their breeding programme but that they had a 4yo filly (granddaughter to mine) which they would sell to the right home…

So, meet Amber…
F3517E6A-1D62-4966-8640-D8599D30563A.jpeg
 
SEL said:
well you couldn't NOT buy the grandchild really!! She's so cute - can you get her registered with CHAPS for showing?
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She’s registered with SPSBS (I just need to sign up) but yes I believe I can show with chaps too if I sign up. I’ve been researching and there’s a bit more out there for the shetties than the spotties so it’s a learning curve!
 
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