Meat colts - the true cost of rescuing them (a diary)

We'll today (day 6) we have had a nicker and a bit of mutual grooming - I think he actually likes me :)

On a bit of a poo note I spent my last day off pulling ragwort from the lane so it doesn't make it into my fields. The culprit - next door!

This is what their fields are like - and yes there are horses grazing on it :(

 
Missed the picture...

91442FBE-5BEA-4688-8E8B-748D999F7E0C_zpswjpqqbdb.jpg


The ILPH have been out about the state of the horses (very thin and no grass) and have done nothing about it. There is a TB with a condition score of 1 and none of the others are above a 2 :( and they still won't pull the ragwort...

Their response was to move the thin horses to the fields that can't be seen from the road and only have the 'good' ones on show

They have 12 'rescue' horses on about 8 acres, but very bad grazing :(
 
Aww, I bet you were very pleased to hear him nicker at you :)
Shame you had to spend your last day off ragworting :( (I hate the damn stuff, as fast as I am pulling it up at our yard, it is just reappearing!)

Looking forward to more updates :D love this thread
 
Loving all these updates on Oreo's progress. Fides you and your OH are doing great with him, I bet he can't believe his luck at landing such a brilliant home. Please don't stop the updates! He is such a cutie, those pics of him chatting at the gate doing his 'i'm only a little foal please be nice' face are just soooooo sweet.

Perhaps H&H should let you have a Hovis style blog?

I have to say also, all the threads about re-homing from a charity and the excuses being given for turn downs are appalling. There must be so many animals missing out on loving homes just because of a silly idealist excuse. These people have to realise that in the real world people do have to work, not everyone can afford the perfect post and rail fencing, water troughs will be uncovered, etc. That last one really takes the biscuit, what are you supposed to do - be guilty of cruelty by denying the horses water just in case a cat drops in?
 
Today Oreo is just being a horse - I have a busy day! After a quick nap after a night shift, I am playing midwife to some hatching chicken eggs and having thoughts about how to start a lobby to really end this whole horse welfare crisis. But that is another thread in itself...
 
There was a field near me last year with a terrible ragwort problem. I contacted BHS welfare and they were brilliant. It was all gone within a week. Worth a go?
 
Lucky Oreo - he has a fantastic home, and for those who say that only 'worthy animals from charities should be rehomed' my own parents were turned down for a dog.

They have had dogs all their lives, live in a detached farm house with 13 acres, but because they didn't have a small, securely fenced garden, there was an issue.

They did actually get a rescue dog, but not from a charity, from someone that a friend of mine knew that couldn't cope with the dog - who is hugely happy and is calm and settled - in spite of having 13 acres and an unsecure garden!!!

Look forward to more Oreo stories - I think he realises he has landed on his hooves, and it is a heart warming story. Obviously rescue ponies like him are cheap to buy but not cheap to start - but then if you have horses, then nothing is cheap. Think you have done an amazing thing.
 
sjp1 said:
Lucky Oreo - he has a fantastic home, and for those who say that only 'worthy animals from charities should be rehomed' my own parents were turned down for a dog.

They have had dogs all their lives, live in a detached farm house with 13 acres, but because they didn't have a small, securely fenced garden, there was an issue.

They did actually get a rescue dog, but not from a charity, from someone that a friend of mine knew that couldn't cope with the dog - who is hugely happy and is calm and settled - in spite of having 13 acres and an unsecure garden!!!

Look forward to more Oreo stories - I think he realises he has landed on his hooves, and it is a heart warming story. Obviously rescue ponies like him are cheap to buy but not cheap to start - but then if you have horses, then nothing is cheap. Think you have done an amazing thing.
Click to expand...

My SIL experienced family already had a dog , large secure garden was turned down because she worked on hour a day in the local primary school at lunch time .
 
loving this story and the updates, how he has changed in such a short time. Its amazing when you rescue a poor innocent pony out of a horrid situation, and put them somewhere safe. How they change in looks - health and personality starts to come through.

This situation has grown over the years, I am in favour of people wanting to breed their mare for personal use to keep. I hate some of these so called "small breeders" breeding horses continuously for their own gain flooding the market which is already bursting at the seams.

Well done OP for taking Oreo under your wing, even though kick hurt it will soon be a distant memory when he gains his trust and love for you. :)
 
For the first day today all the horses are in together :) Oreo was hot enough to sweat by noon so is having a day in.

He was that hot I had to do this...

He let me plait is mane loose on the yard and stood these until he was done.

He is one amazing little colt!

AB43FB75-2E96-4589-AACF-7BEA6188F48A_zpsaknjydgj.jpg
 
Fides said:
For the first day today all the horses are in together :) Oreo was hot enough to sweat by noon so is having a day in.

He was that hot I had to do this...

He let me plait is mane loose on the yard and stood these until he was done.

He is one amazing little colt!

AB43FB75-2E96-4589-AACF-7BEA6188F48A_zpsaknjydgj.jpg
Click to expand...

Bless him xx
 
cobgoblin said:
Love Oreo, he's a very lucky boy!
Such long legs, have you done the string test yet?
Click to expand...

I haven't actually! He seems so diddy next to the other two... Off to have a go!

Eta - string test is 13 1/4 inches so he is going to be small but big enough for me to back myself when the time comes :)
 
Last edited:
Fides said:
I haven't actually! He seems so diddy next to the other two... Off to have a go!

Eta - string test is 13 1/4 inches so he is going to be small but big enough for me to back myself when the time comes :)
Click to expand...

He might surprise you.
I was looking at your pic with him peeking over the stable door. I have a cob that could 'just' get his head over the stable door at 6yrs old, now at 9yrs he is 14/14.1.
He was only marginally poor when I bought him but as soon as they are looked after they just grow like topsy.
 
Fides said:
For the first day today all the horses are in together :) Oreo was hot enough to sweat by noon so is having a day in.

He was that hot I had to do this...

He let me plait is mane loose on the yard and stood these until he was done.

He is one amazing little colt!

AB43FB75-2E96-4589-AACF-7BEA6188F48A_zpsaknjydgj.jpg
Click to expand...

I am in love. Bless him. Fallen on his little hooves onto a bed of roses........

I love these updates, please keep going with them. :) x
 
Im pretty sure I know where you have got him from....are the initials T.S??

If so, they have the scrap yard and main stables next door to my place of work. I've always wanted to go down and have a nosey around and have a look at what state the horses are like, but from what I can see out of one the offices, they ones stabled seem very well looked after. Its a huge new barn and always with plenty of food and bedding. But I knew they had horses turned out somewhere. When I saw all the FB ad's I did wonder if it was anything to do with him. Never seen anything too bad, apart when their donkeys got loose and came up to our car park, I was going to get a headcollar out boot and go catch them when next minute about 5 10 year old lads came zooming up on quads and chased them back down the road. My heart was in my mouth as it was all downhill on tarmac as they were galloping down legs flying everywhere.

So glad Oreo has found such a loving home, I wonder where all the rest went, hopefully to better fates.
 
Thanks Joulsey - you're not all that far from me then :) The people selling them refused to give any contact details - strange they eh? I'm not sure what the main place is like, all I know is that they have donkeys too and a scrap yard. Of the 58 that were sold 14 were bought by someone who themselves sold them for meat.
 
Fides said:
Thanks Joulsey - you're not all that far from me then :) The people selling them refused to give any contact details - strange they eh? I'm not sure what the main place is like, all I know is that they have donkeys too and a scrap yard. Of the 58 that were sold 14 were bought by someone who themselves sold them for meat.
Click to expand...

Got to be same place as he has lots of horses, has a scrap yard and is in prison and is at great harwood! I was tempted to go have a look when i saw the fb ads but thought better, would have come back with 5!
 
joulsey said:
Got to be same place as he has lots of horses, has a scrap yard and is in prison and is at great harwood! I was tempted to go have a look when i saw the fb ads but thought better, would have come back with 5!
Click to expand...

Yep that's the one!
 
After having a week in quarantine (the poor thing), he is now out with my mare Sundae. The big lad Inky is too much for him yet but he's getting on so well with sunny :)

2f9dc2d626684225a740b5343403ee4a_zpsf4102e4a.jpg


9cb0e98a1d63457a6144623097bf4335_zpsfbe240b4.jpg


Little and large! Sundae is only 14h3 - she dwarfs him!

b19c32c6cdf43b2fd1f58cd48eafd9e3_zps0e60c78e.jpg


Edit - please excuse her half fallen out plaits! I was pulling her mane yesterday and only got halfway through...
 
Sven said:
I went from 1st photo, "oh he's not that small"' to second photo hmm maybe not so big, to third photo OMG he's a midget!
Click to expand...

He looks more of a midget because I have a pony sized horse - Sundae is only 14h2 but he makes her look 16hh!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top