Where can I advertise a companion pony?

Ambers Echo

Ambers Echo

Still wittering on
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As title really. I need to find Max a companion loan home. I've tried all the FB sites 3 times now but drawn a blank each time. Any ideas?
 
Is it right horse right home? I do think they have some weird restrictions on having to pay to contact adverts but at least you'd know enquiries are genuine.
It seems to be a site for not quite right/special needs horses primarily.

Also, think about the kind of companion he'll make and home he needs - always best for a companion to be matched with their companionee (to invent such a word) with similar needs. Ie, could he live out all year round or will he need to come in in winter - or even summer if his waistline needs monitoring or he can't cope with the heat etc.
 
FB probably is the best place for exposure, sadly (and understandably) non ridden companion homes are few and far between, even more so as winter approaches...
I don’t know your situation but if i were in your shoes I would find somewhere like grass livery/retirement livery for the winter and reasses come spring.
 
chaps89 said:
Is it right horse right home? I do think they have some weird restrictions on having to pay to contact adverts but at least you'd know enquiries are genuine.
It seems to be a site for not quite right/special needs horses primarily.

Also, think about the kind of companion he'll make and home he needs - always best for a companion to be matched with their companionee (to invent such a word) with similar needs. Ie, could he live out all year round or will he need to come in in winter - or even summer if his waistline needs monitoring or he can't cope with the heat etc.
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I'll have a look at Right Horse, Right Home. In theory he is the ideal companion pony as he self regulates the grass so never gets too fat or thin, has no additional care needs, lives in or out, can be with mares or geldings or both and is very friendly and well mannered! But I am not having much luck finding anywhere. 3 homes have now fallen through. I wonder how many were truly serious in the first place and how many were just dreamers.
 
Golly, that's unfortunate.
I've looked at companion ponies from time to time and ones without special needs that can be left on their own whilst the other horse is taken out for rides etc are few and far between so I'm surprised you've not had success- does your ad state he's good like that? Though I'm guessing if you've had 3 potential homes it's not necessarily the ad or the pony that isn't right.
 
I have two out on loan though Facebook. I trawl the ads looking for wanted an then contact them. They are both local and it takes time. It helps if they are small and have no health problems.
 
I went straight for grass Livery for mine, very few folks have their own land around here so the prospects for companion homes are short although you might have more luck in Derbyshire
 
Keep pluggng away locally, straightforward companion ponies are worth their weight in gold to people like me who have their own yard but now only have one horse and if they are fairly close by you can also keep an eye on them.
 
You might find that someone is suddenly looking for a companion in a bit of a rush because they have just lost a horse, and urgently need a companion for another. This has been me, though I fostered my companion pony rather than take her on permanently.
 
I keep getting promising sounding messages from people in exactly that situation but something always seems to crop up. One person was all set to have him on her return from holiday but picked up some awful virus abroad and will be out if action for months. Another just went quiet. Another decided it was too far. We will find somewhere.
 
Ambers Echo said:
I keep getting promising sounding messages from people in exactly that situation but something always seems to crop up. One person was all set to have him on her return from holiday but picked up some awful virus abroad and will be out if action for months. Another just went quiet. Another decided it was too far. We will find somewhere.
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The clue there might be the fact they are sending messsges.
I would not want any texts, withhelds or Facebook messsges.
I want to speak to someone. I find messsges can go back and forth for days and they don't visit.
 
The-Bookworm said:
The clue there might be the fact they are sending messsges.
I would not want any texts, withhelds or Facebook messsges.
I want to speak to someone. I find messsges can go back and forth for days and they don't visit.
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I'd agree in principle but unfortunately for AE trying to find a companion home is difficult unlike selling a good horse where you might be able to pick and choose the people you will interact with.

I really hope you find someone AE, he sounds like the perfect companion and exactly the sort that I would have been looking for 2 years ago. I think TP is right, it could be that you will just need to be in the right place at the right time when someone needs a horse in a hurry so maintaining a presence on local FB pages would be important n that situation.
 
Tiddlypom said:
You might find that someone is suddenly looking for a companion in a bit of a rush because they have just lost a horse, and urgently need a companion for another.
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I am in this situation :( It feels too soon for me to rush out and get another, but my poor old boy is lost without his companion.

OP, keep going with all the local FB groups you can. The advantage of this means you can look at the profile of anyone who replies, which might be useful - more info. than you are likely to get from any other source of advertising. What about instructors/trainers/vets/farriers/equine dentist?! Anyone who visits your horse will visit other horses, and will know about their owner's circumstances. I've asked my farrier and dentist to tentatively keep an ear out for me, and it was my vet and my instructor who found two of my horses for me. No adverts involved in either case.

Best of luck - he sounds lovely and a perfect companion. I am surprised he hasn't been snapped up but I am sure he will be soon (I'm nowhere near you and want to buy a companion pony rather than loan, in case you wonder why I haven't messaged you).
 
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Are you selling or loaning? I would suggest loaning and maybe offering to pay fairer trims, and annual injections etc might / keep in touch etc. Selling might suggest you are looking to dump a problem?
 
I'm loaning. In fact more people seem to want to buy him which rings alarm bells. He is very saleable as he appears sound and I am sure I could ride him without problems for a few weeks before he broke down again. So he is perfect for selling on as a ridden pony which would be unkind to him and dangerous to whoever bought him. I am sure there are genuine reasons for wanting to buy not loan but equally there are dishonest ones.
 
Ambers Echo said:
I'm loaning. In fact more people seem to want to buy him which rings alarm bells. He is very saleable as he appears sound and I am sure I could ride him without problems for a few weeks before he broke down again. So he is perfect for selling on as a ridden pony which would be unkind to him and dangerous to whoever bought him. I am sure there are genuine reasons for wanting to buy not loan but equally there are dishonest ones.
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Really good on you - yep you just have to persevere. If you put up notices in local feed merchants , tack stores etc, could you offer occasional weekend cover (or whatever) that would be a big plus for a private owner like me!!
 
Ambers Echo said:
So he is perfect for selling on as a ridden pony which would be unkind to him and dangerous to whoever bought him. I am sure there are genuine reasons for wanting to buy not loan but equally there are dishonest ones.
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It's sad that that is the case, but you are absolutely right that that's a risk. Sounds like a really sensible decision and one I completely understand (even though I do have a genuine reason for wanting to buy which absolutely does NOT involve riding or selling on unsound horses! :)). Would never let my boy go for the same reason.
 
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