Horses and Ponies
1. An ex-eventer with permanent leg damage came from north of London and was re-homed as a companion to an Arab mare.
2. A pony from Surrey came to us when his owner became pregnant and couldn't afford livery fees. She was unable to sell him as he was an unbroken 9 year-old! After many months of training he became a very nice riding pony and found a home in the Sussex downs with a young family.
3. Nugget was a very dear Highland Pony whose owners were emigrating. Blind in one eye, no-one would buy him and several horse sanctuaries would not take him because he was 'not over 25' or 'not a welfare case'. He was about 16 years old and had a very kind home, and we were pleased to add him to our family. His sight gradually worsened and vets confirmed that there was no treatment or cure for his condition. He was with us for several years but total blindness finally took over and he became quite unhappy. Regretfully, he had to be put to sleep: always a last resort, and not decided on lightly.
4. A little white Shortland stallion called Sammy came to us when a stud closed down. Not a 'rescue' but a very welcome addition who became an ambassador for Foxhollow, going to dozens of fundraising events for several years where he was a great attraction to the public, especially when he and some of the goats developed their own circus act! Sammy did eventually go to another home, but two more Shortlands came to us when the sanctuary they were at in Surrey had to be closed when the owner became ill with cancer. They were both rehomed privately in the Chichester area. Recently a little Shortland mare has joined us. She is really ugly, pregnant and 20 years old but will no doubt be at Foxhollow for some time!
5. Another Shortland has been with us for several years. he came to us as 'bad-tempered, unmanageable, etc.,' but he has been a reformed character since coming here and is regularly handled and ridden by children and behaves very well at shows he's attended. Correct handling seems to be the answer to many animal problems.
6. This is trie of 'Miss R', a big Welsh Cob mare who came to us with a really bad reputation. Uncontrollable, bad-tempered and aggressive were all her labels. She had been to three professional trainers to break her in but all failed and the last said she was absolutely hopeless and should be shot. We heard about her and said we would take her on as a last attempt. Having now been at Foxhollow for about three years she is a very happy mare, has produced a lovely foal and is regularly ridden and handled by teenagers! No-onw would even guess she was the same mare.
When we have spare cash we do go to horse markets and pony sales (mainly held in the Autumn) to buy animals who would otherwise end up on the meat lorries heading for the continent. No animal deserves that.
