Welcome to Options where every equine matters!
Options is a equine rescue organisation, dedicated to the rescue and rehabilitation of horses, ponies, donkeys and mules. We have a dedicated team devoted to the care of all the residents at the sanctuary. All equines at the sanctuary have been rescued from terrible circumstances and most of them face certain death, (read their stories on the meet the horses page). We currently have 37 equines at the sanctuary, and many more out on loan. Unfortunately with the current economic climate more horses than ever are being abandoned, neglected and needlessly being destroyed, we must help to save them.
Most of the horses here have been recued from UK slaughter houses or from horse auctions where they were due to go to the slaughter house. We at Options feel most people are not aware that the UK KILL horses, we must help to stop cruelty in these places and stop perfect healthy horses being needlessly killed. The following links help highlight what is really going on.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xJMoyh57XOU (undercover video at uk slaughter house)
Please Join our forum and help make us to make a difference
http://optionsequinesanctuary.activeboard.com/
New arrival
Archie
We recieved a call about a 2 year old horse. The owner said he was a little bit lame due to him growing to fast for his tendons? We agreed to take him in as the owner was going to have him shot if we didn't. When we arrived to collect him, we were truly shocked. This poor babies feet had been butchered. Someone has just hacked them to almost nothing, the horse couldn't walk and was in a lot of pain. Since getting him back to the sanctuary,the farrier has been. Fortunatly he believes Archie will be pain free and hopefully one day be sound. Herbert has had his feet treated and is now starting to stand correctly. He is a lovely, gentle giant and didn't deserve to be treated in such a cruel way.
A video of Archie struggling to walk, because his feet are so painful.
A short video of Archie walking after having his feet treated
Tragic news
In the early hours of friday the 12th June, Spice died peacefully in the field, of a suspected heart attack, she was a beautiful, sweet pony, and a brilliant mother to Sugar. She will be sadly missed by everyone who knew her. R.I.P Spice, you will be forever in our hearts.
Polly has had her foal -07/05/09
We have managed to save the horses that were destined to be slaughtered, they are here, safe and on the road to recovery.
But we still need to raise funds as we borrowed £1000 at the last minute as the horses were due to go the next day.
We would like to thank everyone that has a made a donation to Options, But we still need your help, if you can help in any way or to make a donation please contact us or click on "how you can help" page to donate by Pay-Pal.
paula
With your help we can give horses like Paula a second chance.
Paula arrived on 11/10/08, as you can see, she was in a very bad condition. She came from a horse market where her previous owner was riding her! After much persuasion Paula’s owners handed her over to us (they thought Paula was in good condition!!) Then claimed she was thinner a fortnight ago!! Paula was literally staving to death and covered in mud, it was so far in her coat we had to pick it out, she also had severe mud fever. Our vet confirmed that she was fit and healthy apart from her weight
Paula a month after arriving.
Update on Paula
Paula is the life and sould of the sanctuary she never fails to make us laugh with her antics. Paula is a very old dear that has very much settled in her new home it has been confirmed by our vet paula maybe in her forties!
This however does not stop her finding a toyboy, Peanut one if our recent rescues is a 22 year old Tb gelding. He is totally smitten with her, he was spotted last week sleeping in the field with his head on her bum. Paula as wise as she is, is playing it cool at the moment.
New arrival
Dottie
Dottie came to us in strange circumstances. We recieved a confusing message about a pony that needed a home. We tried to return the call but nobody answered?
A couple of hours later a horse box rolls down the drive, The owners had decided to pay a transporter to have her delivered.
They could no longer afford to keep her, so this poor little mare that is in foal has not been fed for sometime, she had also been kept on her own in a back garden.
Dottie is very nervous and is not letting us touch her at the moment she is starting to come round and we did manage to get her feet trimmed.
New arrival
Chessie
Chessie is a 9 year old TB or TBx. He was rescued from going for slaughter. He was kept inside all the time and fed an enoumous amout of food. (He could have died he was getting that much food). On arrival our vet check him over and confirmed he had slight liver and kidney damage, but luckily this has now repaired itself. She also informed us that the marks and missing hair on Chessie are due to being wormed with cattle wormer. Chessie is micro-chiped, so we did manage to find out a little about him. Chessie is a very talented jumping horse and was sold for £3750 in 2006. Unfortunatly the lady that sold him, unbeknowing to her sold him to a dealer. Despite doing home checks and vettings.(just shows you can never be to careful!) We dont know where Chessie went after that, just where he ended up. (below Chessie a couple of weeks after he first arrived)
New arrival
Bay Lad
Bay Lad is an 18 year old TB. he was rescued from the same place as Chessie. (we dont know his real name as they didnt come with passports and he also has no micro-chip). He has been treated terribly and is very scared. He has also been fed an awful lot of food(he has a bum like a cob!!) and been wormed with cattle wormer. Bay Lad also had slight liver and kidney damage, luckily it has now repaired. We dont know much about him but know he has been with Chessie a while. If anyone recognises him please get in touch.
