Appeal to horse owners this spring

Urgent appeal to horse owners this spring

We are inundated with welfare cases at the end of the winter, many of which are emaciated yearlings and heavily pregnant mares.

There is nothing sadder than a mare who is so thin that she is hardly able to bring her foal into the world.

She will need the very best of our specialist care; all mares are kept until their foals are reared; the foals and yearlings are rehabilitated and rehomed when they have been handled and gelded.

Needless to say, these are long-term projects which place a huge strain on our already stretched resources.

Breeding a foal from your mare can be a rewarding experience if you have the experience to cope, but if you are planning to cover your mare, pause to consider the following things:
 

• There is a huge surplus of unwanted horses and ponies in the UK at present.
• Youngsters bred from unsound mares can inherit unsoundness.
• Youngsters bred from mares of poor temperament can inherit that too.
• Even a pony foal can cost hundreds of pounds to rear.
• The foal you breed can live for 30 years.
   

Bringing on a youngster is rewarding as well, but you don’t need to breed one yourself.
 
Why not consider adopting a horse, pony or youngster from the RSPCA, or another member charity of the National Equine Welfare Council?
 

Please think twice!

Today’s appealing little foal can be tomorrow’s unwanted pony.