options equine sanctuary

Spice

Height:13.2

Age:15+

Breed:New forest

Spice came to us in March last year, She was very underweight and heavy in foal. She also had some injuries on her legs and was very ill. The vet only gave her a 50% chance of survival Fortunately after a month of food,warmth and TLC she was full of health and in June she gave birth to a very healthy, strong filly foal we called Sugar, Both are doing really well. Sugar is now as big as her mum. Spice is very friendly and loves attention, she always whinnys when she sees you. Sugar is a little too friendly sometimes, She follows you around the field, climbs on your knee and nibbles you, she likes to have all the attention on her to herself.

Sugar

Height:14hh(at the minute)

Age:1

Breed:New forest x

Height: 15hh

Age:13

Breed:Thoroughbred x

Robin had a very good start in life. He was well looked after and became a grade C Irish show jumper. Unfortunately Robin developed a very painful condition called Navicular.  His original owners gave him to someone that had promised he would have a loving home for life, this wasn’t the case, they continued to work him very hard, and  Robin’s condition became much worse. He was apparently sent to be slaughtered.  Although 2 years later he was in England at a sale?? No one knows where he’s been for the 2 years but we would love to find out. Robin is a real character and is really in love with himself. He is very cheeky and often gives you a quick bite or kick to remind you that he is there.

Height:14.2

Age:25

Breed:Thoroughbred x Standardbred

 Halo was rescued form a sale last year. She is an older mare that has led a very hard life, She has been worked hard during the years resulting in tendon damage on her knee. When Halo first arrived she was so scared, and she would  attack anyone that went near her. Luckily it did'nt didn’t take her long to realise she was now safe, and her true personality has now shone through and she now a friendly pony who loves being itched and cuddled.

Height:36inchs

Age:4

Breed:Miniture shetland

Freckles came to us late last year, after a group of people were beating him. Freckles was very frightened when he first arrived and very underweight. Fortunately after a bit of love and some food in his belly, freckles did start to come round. Although he is still very suspicious of people he doesn’t know. He is a very cheeky little man and likes to think he runs the heard. Although the others don’t let him away with anything.

Height:12hh

Age:2

Breed:Donkey 

Basil came to us as a unhandled 4 month old. When he arrived it became apparent that he had not been weaned at all. Not only did he not know how to eat, he looked as if he hadn’t had enough milk from his mother. We had to spend a lot of time teaching him to eat. One strand of hay at a time, and the smallest amount of food imaginable. Thankfully he soon got the hang of it and is now very strong, healthy and thinks he’s a Thoroughbred.

Height:13hh

Age:2

Breed:Gypsy Cob 

Pogle arrived last year. He was very timid, frightened and only 8 months old. He was rescued from someone that  was riding him at such a young age, they were even planning to ride him at Appleby Horse Fair. Due to the treatment Pogle recieved before he came to he was quite difficult to catch and would stay as far away from us as possiable.  Pogle has now come round and is now an angel to do anything with (as long as his best friend Sugar is with him).

Height:35 inchs

Age:10

Breed:Miniture shetland 

When Dinky arrived he was in a very bad way, He was very underweight and crawling in lice. He was so weak he couldn’t stand, It was touch and go at one point, we did not know if he was going to pull through. He gradually grew stronger and stronger and has never looked back. Dinky can be a little bit naughty at times and is quite antisocial, unless however he sees his favourite thing  in the world food!

Dinky is avalible for loan as a lead rein pony

Brandy came to us as an unhandled, very frightened 3 year old. He was rescued from an auction, where he was sold as unbreakable. Brandy came off the New forest and unfortunately for him, went straight to a bad home. Brandy had been so severely traumatised in his first 3 years that he is now terrified of human contact.  He also had a slight set back early 2006. Brandy somehow managed to get a thorn in his eye, which unfortunately after months of antibiotics and eye drops, Brandy had to have his eye removed. Despite everything he is coming round slowly. He follows us around and does come when he is called,  he also allows us to stroke him on a daily basis. Brandy will come round one day, but until then he is very happy wondering around his field with his friends. As long as he is warm, fed and loved that’s all he wants (for now anyway).

Height:11hh

Age:6

Breed:mule

Molly was rescued from a sale late 2007. Unfortunately nobody wanted Molly.No one really knows a lot about Molly’s past, what we do know is she has been passed about most of her life, between people that didn’t look after her very well. Mules like to bond with things and because Molly never had chance to settle anywhere she finds it hard to trust some people. Despite everything she has settled down and is very friendly. She does nibble a bit and she makes some very strange noises! she has a lot of personality.

Height:17hh

Age:6

Breed:Thoroughbred x

Baby is one of the lucky ones, he has never been mistreated, hurt or starved. Unfortunately his mother wasn’t so lucky. Baby’s mum Delilah came to us in foal. (We never breed from any horse, any foals born at the sanctuary, are so because their Dams came to us in foal).

 Delilah ended up at the market after some sort of accident that left her with serve back problems (we are not entirely sure of the exact details). Delilah recieved a lot of veterinary care and treatment while with us.  She managed to live comfortably for a couple of years and she looked after Baby fantastically, unfortunately her back deteriorated and there was nothing anyone could do to help her. Our vet advised us the kindest thing would be to have her put to sleep. Delilah was the kindest horse we have ever had the pleasure of knowing. Delilah left a huge hole in everyone’s heart and will be remembered and sadly missed forever.

Baby didn’t get the same temperament as his mum. He is a bit arrogant (this is probably because Delilah spoilt him rotten). He’s a big softy really and loves cuddles, but not as much as he loves food.

Baby is avalible for loan as a riding horse

 Height:9hh

Age:10

Breed:Shetland x 

Hercules was rescued from a sale as a foal. He was as many of our horses come into us, very thin and frightened. He was in such poor conditions he only made 18gns. Like his best friend Dinky, he was very weak and we almost lost him. Unfortunately Hercules has lung damage caused by lung worm, this makes his breathing a bit laboured sometimes. Our vet has confirmed he is in no pain and his breathing problems will probably never bother him. He is now fully up to weight and a little bossy in the heard. He is always telling baby what to do (they make a very odd group, two Shetlands and a 17hh horse!).

Height:13.2

Age:13

Breed:Unknown

Cilla was purchased from a auction. Unfortunately we know nothing about Cilla. She didn’t come with a passport so we haven’t been able to trace any previous owners. She is micro-chipped with the Irish show jumping association, although her chip has never been registered. We are desperate to find out how Cilla ended up at a sale and are still “digging around” to see if we can find anything. Cilla is most the fantastic pony, she is 100% in everyway. She is one of the quieter members of the heard, but loves attention and being groomed.

Height:16.2

Age:11

Breed: Thoroughbred

Maxi was also rescued from a sale. When we got her home she was very lame. We had her shod up and that seemed to improve her, although she was never quite right. We had the vet back and forward for a while and no one could find anything. In the end we had her feet scanned, then we found her problem. Maxi was diagnosed with Navicular syndrome. Maxi had a good start in life, she was born at a very nice stud in Devon. Maxi was sold as a youngster and unfortunately wasn’t broken in for a long time (by which point she didn’t want to do any work). She developed a very nasty rearing habit.

 She was then sold to a person who was going to try brake her in correctly, Maxi didn’t want to play that game though. She was sold on as a broodmare only. Unfortunately she was then sold on and on and ended up at the market. Obviously Maxi was traumatised when we got her. She finds it difficult to trust people. Maxi is one of heads of the heard, she likes to keep things in order and look after the others (when Basil cries she gallops to save him). She is a very sweet mare and loves cuddles. Unfortunately she still rears when she is trying to avoid something(wormers and trailers).

Height:15.2

Age:7

Breed: Pacer x 

William was rescued from a sale at 9 months old. William’s farther is a famous pacer called Howards Way, we think his mother was a coloured cob. His breeders had hoped for a coloured filly. Unlucky for William he was a bay colt and so ended up going for meat. William was a bit of a ugly duckling as a foal, he had a big head and legs and a little skinny body (this was another reason no one wanted him). William did fortunately grow in to himself and is now a very handsome horse. For some strange reason William is the head of the heard, no one has ever challenged this and he does a very good job keeping things in order. William is a big softy and loves attention and feed times.