I have rescued 12 horses and ponies. The majority being ex racehorses, who would have had terrible lives ahead of them here in South Africa.
I teach and take out rides in the mountains for young children able bodied and disabled. I am now starting a project to take on an orphaned child and teach him/her to ride and hopefully eventually compete for SA. An orphaned child on a rescued pony (Packet the one on the photo) would be so inspiring to show that against all odds there is a second chance for us all. The equines also help clients in therapy for drugs, alcohol, depression and other illnesses.
The horses and ponies all graze at the foothills of the Drakensberg mountains but grass is not enough they need bales of hay in the winter and concentrated food all year round, especially the ex-racehorses as their metabolism is high and their bodies still suffer from the drugs given on the racecourse.
The equines are all wormed every 3 months, have their hooves trimmed/shod every 6 weeks, vaccinated for African horse sickness annually and tetanus and flu every six months, they see the dentist and chiropractor every 10 months and with the bales and concentrated feed these expenses are more than they can generate is lessons and rides alone. Please I need financial help to keep these 12 equines as they are needed in the community.
The funds so desperately needed and kindly given will be to give these fantastic horses/ponies all they need to live comfortably and be healthy to give back with trust. Winter is nearly here so the grass has lost its goodness so bales need to be purchased very soon so does the stock of concentrated food in case of snow and I not being able to get to the feed merchant.
Here are a couple of the equines stories.
Fonz was my first rescue 4yrs ago and he was purchased of the track and went to live in the rural townships where he nearly starved to death, he was a walking skeleton. He also has a broken back molar that cause him pain due to the wrong bit in his mouth in the wrong hands. The vet has kindly dropped the operation price from R30,000 to R15,000 as Fonz is a rescue, but still I need help please to pay for the operation. He was taken in by the Coastal horse care unit from which I got him. I have two other rescued racehorses from them, Eleven and Goose who are the most loving horses and did not deserve to be cast aside when rendered ‘no good’!
‘T’ was a very successful winning racehorse and had all the best care he could hope for while winning but as soon as he stopped winning he was also rendered ‘no good anymore’ so was surplus to requirements, cast aside now with the care and food stopped and then was going to be shot. What thanks is that for winning his owners all that money!
Blondie (name changed) was once loved and ridden by a child but for financial reasons and divorce was just left to starve in the field again all the thanks for caring and giving the child so much pleasure.
Pie was being ridden in Lesotho with barbed wire in her mouth, half her ear missing and with a back injury, rescued and brought to SA she 2 weeks later gave birth to Packet (photo). Pie still has behavioural problems and still has treatment for her pelvis so she is not ridden anymore and just acts as a companion.
Big Blondie (name changed) was also a walking skeleton, he is our latest rescue. Off the track and then the polo field, which may be a glamorous to watch and be seen at, but it’s not the same for some horses. It took a solid two months of careful feeding, antibiotics for an open saddle-sore oozing pus and careful bathing of a skin so badly damaged from ticks. His hooves are an ongoing concern being carefully monitored and treated by the farrier. Special shoes are going to be needed which are double the price of the regular horse shoe.
My horses are my everything and they are so special to bounce back from all they have been through with trust and love. They give so much back without question and I often think, why should they?
Please help me to help them, ‘ we’ would be eternally grateful and I will personally keep in touch with stories and photos of the horses in their daily lives. If you are ever in SA I would be honoured if you would visit us and come meet or even ride my fantastic family. If you prefer you can adopt one horse/pony in particular and be part of their everyday lives again with contact from me.
Here is a list if you would like to adopt an individual (names will be given in confidence)
Fonz- ex race horse
Eleven – ex race horse
Goose- ex race horse
T- ex race horse
Kammy (changed)- ex polo
Big Blondie (changed)- ex polo
Blondie (changed) also pulls a carriage (would love to purchase one for the children that are unable to sit on his back but could sit in a carriage and drive) Summer pony mare Captain pony Packet pony Pie pony mare Comet pony mare
Thank you all so much for taking the time to read this and hope you can find a place in your hearts to help me to help them xx
Thank you in advance.