So-called "Rescue sites" Charity comes out AGAINST!!!

When down on Exmoor a few weeks ago, when the Golden Horse Shoe was on. I went to the Exmoor pony Centre. A lot of these are sent to slaughter or to zoos and they are a UK pony they are weight carriers well upto about 12 stone apparently. I would rather support them. They do put ponies into homes but vet them and you very carefully. If we lose the Exmoor Ponies then that would be such a disaster in my opinion. As they are just a few pounds when rounded up off Exmoor and sold at market
 
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i buy these types ALL the time...

its really sad..

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Yes, what was your recent 'haul' JM - and what of their futures now???
 
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If we lose the Exmoor Ponies then that would be such a disaster in my opinion.

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Didn't Countryfile do a piece on Exmoor's last Sunday??
 
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i buy these types ALL the time...

its really sad..

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Yes, what was your recent 'haul' JM - and what of their futures now???

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3 "meat-chain" ponies...

1 has a new home already!
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It was just a snippet but yes they did.

As a child I remember both Exmoor and Dartmoor babies being sold for a pound or given away. Many of us ended up with cracking ponies that would hunt all day, gymkana, jump and play pony club.

Sadly a lot of the breeding is now dilute but as JM will testify the NF is producing some real quality animals and these are real bargains in the grand scheme of things and certainly shouldnt be dismissed purely as ',meat animals' just because they are a bit wormy and hairy. I know a lot are produced purely for slaughter but for those who really do want a bargain and have a good eye (this really is the key) then there are some very nice animals going through the rings.
 
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i buy these types ALL the time...

its really sad..

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Yes, what was your recent 'haul' JM - and what of their futures now???

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3 "meat-chain" ponies...

1 has a new home already!
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That's good
I purchased two 'meat' comtois earlier this year via one of the rescue sites and everything went fine and they are fit, healthy and delightful.
I fully understand people's concerns with regard to possible health/disease problems and also I know there are an abundance of equines in the UK that need re-homing/care.
Is it not all down to personal choice though? It is not just the same as donating to a charity - why do some people give to some and not to others?
 
Yes GTF I have followed progress of several horses. Yes I am aware of at least one horse which collapsed in transit and another who foaled on a lorry. I also know of good outcomes.

You may also have seen my highly critical reports on this forum on horse transport generally. I have pedigree horses shipped by DEFRA approved transporters who arrived dehydrated and looking like toast racks. Lots of people have responded who have had similar experiences. I am now VERY prescriptive before I let anyone ship a horse for me.

Horses in poor condition may not be able to cope with a journey to the UK - I don't disagree with that.

When this whole debate kicked off earlier this year I spoke to everyone I could. People who had rescue horses, transporters, WHW and the Proprieter of one charity.

I wrote a comprehensive report which I sent to WHW and I wrote to DEFRA expressing my concerns, which are somewhat different to those being expressed on this board.

If the Rescue charities are (so called) i.e. deliberately posting misleading information and using monies in an inappropriate way a formal complaint should be made to the Charities Commission.
 
Hi Bellisimo,

What prompted you to purchase two comtois? Were you specifically after a heavier type of breed?
 
I'm not sure which rescue 'charities' you refer to?

The internet sites dealing the 'rescue' horses are not registered charities, so there is little or no point reporting them to the Charities Commission?
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Having seen in the flesh a fair proportion of the horses being shipped in the name of rescue, I can assure you that not one of them was as described on the sites.

I'm sorry, but I don't follow what you're saying. Are you supporting the practices of these sites, or disagreeing with them?
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I wrote to DEFRA expressing my concerns, which are somewhat different to those being expressed on this board

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Ah, interesting. What, specifically, are your concerns?
 
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I wrote to DEFRA expressing my concerns, which are somewhat different to those being expressed on this board

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Ah, interesting. What, specifically, are your concerns?

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Ahh beat me to it Amymay, was just going to ask the very same question? Would like to know how they differ from ours.
 
To be honest no I wasn't and I wasn't looking for a youngster either. I had been looking for a cob type for general hacking and also company for a pony I have adopted who has been on his own for some time.
I guess the questions that will follow are; was my decision an emotional one, did I know what I was doing, do I feel I paid too much, etc, etc.
I would say that it wasn't a decision taken lightly and yes it was slightly emotional but I am absolutely delighted with them. They are fit, healthy, a lovely temperament, just what we wanted!
I have land, stables, time and experience and this was my chosen route for purchasing a horse.
 
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They are fit, healthy, a lovely temperament, just what we wanted

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Well, that's really great.
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I don't think this mare's case is atypical. An English friend who lives a few miles away has a TB ex race horse with excellent irish blood lines.

He was not much good as a race horse and was sold to a Chateau for horse riding holidays - also not much good for real beginners. She bought him for meat money, which is all she could afford.

Ignorant? No an ex Whipper-In for a British Hunt and a point to point jockey. Well heeled? No.

It is a sad thing that TB's and French Trotters who are no good on the race track are 'disposable'.
 
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It is a sad thing that TB's and French Trotters who are no good on the race track are 'disposable'

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As indeed they are in the UK and around the world generally.....
 
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I don't think this mare's case is atypical. An English friend who lives a few miles away has a TB ex race horse with excellent irish blood lines.

He was not much good as a race horse and was sold to a Chateau for horse riding holidays - also not much good for real beginners. She bought him for meat money, which is all she could afford.

Ignorant? No an ex Whipper-In for a British Hunt and a point to point jockey. Well heeled? No.

It is a sad thing that TB's and French Trotters who are no good on the race track are 'disposable'.

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Not saying that it is atypical Rollin, that is really not the point here, the point is why bring a french horse over when there are several british tbs in exactly the same boat, only for the money spent you could save 2 not 1?
 
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If the Rescue charities are (so called) i.e. deliberately posting misleading information and using monies in an inappropriate way a formal complaint should be made to the Charities Commission.

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They are not charities although they try to give the impression they are doing charitable work. Really they are just agents for the low end dealers and dodgey farmers, whether or not this is what they want to believe themselves.

With regards to the misdescriptions one that springs to mind is a donkey. On the 'rescue' site it was described as having a wart under the tail however on the Photobucket account of the person advertising the donkey there was a photograph of a large, bleeding sarcoid. When questioned, this picture was not posted because it may have put people off rescuing the donkey. This is the kind of deception that takes place in the name of 'rescue'. It is all about saving the animals at whatever cost to them or the new owners to make the 'agents' feel good about themselves. what really makes me laugh is the number of 'rare' Comtois being advertised at ridiculous prices on the sales websites - if only people knew
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BER - On your website it states that you "are having to turn new arrivals away on a weekly basis." I am disappointed that you are turning away ponies and horses with uncertain futures in this country, yet find the room, and upkeep, for horses from overseas. I also note that you are appealing for funds to geld colts, fit a permanent water supply, new fencing and an arena.
Surely the money spent on this horse would be better used on the things that YOUR rescue centre needs, rather than adding a rather expensive mouth to feed?

(P.S I didn't scour your site, I looked at 2 pages, one of which I don't seem to be able to access from your site anymore?)
 
As I have already suggested what about a UK site for horses for loan or rehome. I am sure lots of folk would love to buy a TB for less than £500.
 
then they are better off going to Ascot or Donny and picking one that they can atl least look at to make sure it has four matching legs and pat to make sure it doesnt gnaw their arms off, if you dont mind me saying so.
 
Exactly Lucretia, I cannot understand the appeal in buying a horse from a photo when you can go to a sale over here and actually see them in the flesh before you buy, and probably pay a lot less money too.
 
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i buy these types ALL the time...

its really sad..

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Fair play to you JM, I would dearly love to buy / rescue (call it what you will) but unfortunately, whilst I could happily manage the upkeep, I can't afford the initial purchase!!!

Keep up the good work hun, and the rest of you guys too!!
 
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When down on Exmoor a few weeks ago, when the Golden Horse Shoe was on. I went to the Exmoor pony Centre. A lot of these are sent to slaughter or to zoos and they are a UK pony they are weight carriers well upto about 12 stone apparently. I would rather support them. They do put ponies into homes but vet them and you very carefully. If we lose the Exmoor Ponies then that would be such a disaster in my opinion. As they are just a few pounds when rounded up off Exmoor and sold at market

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Flowerlady - it's lovely that you visited Exmoor and went to the pony centre which is a charity to rehome exmoors on an adoption process - but I suggest that you come again when the pony sales take place more usually in October where you will see first hand what the ponies make.

Make sure you realise at the time that they are driven off the moor into coralls and seperated from their mother there and then to be sold either to a private home (very rare) or for meat for around £50 or less.

You also have to remember that this practise has been ongoing for hundreds of years and has resulted in what is probably the very last pure herd of exceptionally healthy and true to breed native ponies also currently on the rare breeds list.

The Exmoor Pony Society (which you visited) possibly do an invaluable job training the youngsters with natural horsemanship techniques but you also have to remember that the herds have been sustained pure for many generations before that by the very local and insular people who have looked after this breed.
 
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When down on Exmoor a few weeks ago, when the Golden Horse Shoe was on. I went to the Exmoor pony Centre. A lot of these are sent to slaughter or to zoos and they are a UK pony they are weight carriers well upto about 12 stone apparently. I would rather support them. They do put ponies into homes but vet them and you very carefully. If we lose the Exmoor Ponies then that would be such a disaster in my opinion. As they are just a few pounds when rounded up off Exmoor and sold at market

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Flowerlady - it's lovely that you visited Exmoor and went to the pony centre which is a charity to rehome exmoors on an adoption process - but I suggest that you come again when the pony sales take place more usually in October where you will see first hand what the ponies make.

Make sure you realise at the time that they are driven off the moor into coralls and seperated from their mother there and then to be sold either to a private home (very rare) or for meat for around £50 or less.

You also have to remember that this practise has been ongoing for hundreds of years and has resulted in what is probably the very last pure herd of exceptionally healthy and true to breed native ponies also currently on the rare breeds list.

The Exmoor Pony Society (which you visited) possibly do an invaluable job training the youngsters with natural horsemanship techniques but you also have to remember that the herds have been sustained pure for many generations before that by the very local and insular people who have looked after this breed.

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Ravenwood I think you misunderstood. That is what I was saying I think though there are two herds aren't there the ones with the Anchor mark and the ones with the diamond? Please correct me if I'm wrong? The lady at the centre explained about the processes ie fostering from ferrel almost to rideable after they have broken them in. I fully intend to visit again and if you can tell me when the market days are I would like to go. What I was trying to say before is that these beautiful ponies are very cheap and also go to market and they are British. (Does that make sense).
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I know they go for meat more than private homes I really wish it was the other way round.
 
There are plenty of small British native ponies which fetch very little money at sale. The problem ponies face today is that they live a long time and British children in 2000 plus are much taller and heavier than children of 1950's.

So they are outgrown very quickly and one pony will have several child riders in its life. In fact they are ideally suited to French children who are so much smaller and lighter.

The last BHS survey I saw identified that 60% of British horse riders are women aged 40 or over. Many new riders are women who return to the sport when children are grown up. So the only ponies likely to be suitable for them are Dales, Highlands, Section D, etc and these don't come cheap.

I would expect to pay at least £3k for an unbacked Highland.
 
some friends and myself have offered to give money to save Royal.....i admire anyone who saves and gives time ,love and money.to those horses that need urgent help ..i trust Toni will do her utmost in every stage of this rescue....and hope she gets the support she needs...
 
Why is she more special than the hundreds of needy TBs in the UK?

For the money going to Royal, you could take at LEAST two UK horses out of the meat chain.

I am genuinely confused?
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