It's never easy doing this job. Here's our dilemma list:-
Intaking horses/ponies - you're damned if you do and damned if you don't. Being offered horses on a daily basis you know you have to say "No" or you'd soon be stacking them 5 deep! no one can care for very long if numbers become un-managable. Define that number? Can only say our own 'quota' is no more than 15 maximum. That is on scupulously clean ground of almost 17 acres, with yard and barns/stabling and with a daily volunteer squad of no less than 3 people. Having said that I try hard not to exceed 12, we like to give quality care.
Caring for horses/ponies - you need to know the horse to mend the inside that takes time, hence our slow 'turnaround' By the way- mending the outside is the easy bit!
Loaning out - well, those homes on offer are usually 100% but every now and again you know you wouldn't put a rocking horse in 'that' yard let alone a real one (There are sleepless nights thinking maybe someone else did place a real one there though) that's why we ask you a zillion questions and come look at your home on offer. That's also why we don't ask you to pay a 'loaning' fee - or whatever is current fashion for a sum of money that changes hands when animals move from sanctuary to loan home. Our aim is the right and best home for the charity owned horse we are placing the rest is incidental.
Final day- here's the hard one. Choosing the day -if the horse doesn't do it for you ( and you hope to God he doesn't because you'll have left it that one day too late maybe) there is no right day. I know that, you know that. We all just do our best. Horses are living longer these days, better care, less physical work. Ages ranging upwards of 25 to 30 are common nowadays but no matter what age you'll know your oldie is heading towards the end when that certain expression of joy leaves his lovely old face, when he looks weary and things start to get hard for him, when the others in his herd (big or small) start to shun him you know the time is almost there.Not easy is it ....
So that's a few of the things us sanctuary lot face daily/weekly/seasonally in the course of doing the job.
When we get it right we must only intake numbers of horses and ponies that we know we can comfortably cope with, adequately care for and financially support.
When we get it right we get recovering horses/ponies fit and well that can then go on and do their 'jobs' in good loan homes outside of the sanctuary or rescue yard.
And that tricky final day? We hope to get that right most of the time because if we know our horses, really know them, haven't overstocked ourselves, have time to love and spend time with each of them, then we'll know that we chose one day too soon than that one day too late.
Intaking horses/ponies - you're damned if you do and damned if you don't. Being offered horses on a daily basis you know you have to say "No" or you'd soon be stacking them 5 deep! no one can care for very long if numbers become un-managable. Define that number? Can only say our own 'quota' is no more than 15 maximum. That is on scupulously clean ground of almost 17 acres, with yard and barns/stabling and with a daily volunteer squad of no less than 3 people. Having said that I try hard not to exceed 12, we like to give quality care.
Caring for horses/ponies - you need to know the horse to mend the inside that takes time, hence our slow 'turnaround' By the way- mending the outside is the easy bit!
Loaning out - well, those homes on offer are usually 100% but every now and again you know you wouldn't put a rocking horse in 'that' yard let alone a real one (There are sleepless nights thinking maybe someone else did place a real one there though) that's why we ask you a zillion questions and come look at your home on offer. That's also why we don't ask you to pay a 'loaning' fee - or whatever is current fashion for a sum of money that changes hands when animals move from sanctuary to loan home. Our aim is the right and best home for the charity owned horse we are placing the rest is incidental.
Final day- here's the hard one. Choosing the day -if the horse doesn't do it for you ( and you hope to God he doesn't because you'll have left it that one day too late maybe) there is no right day. I know that, you know that. We all just do our best. Horses are living longer these days, better care, less physical work. Ages ranging upwards of 25 to 30 are common nowadays but no matter what age you'll know your oldie is heading towards the end when that certain expression of joy leaves his lovely old face, when he looks weary and things start to get hard for him, when the others in his herd (big or small) start to shun him you know the time is almost there.Not easy is it ....
So that's a few of the things us sanctuary lot face daily/weekly/seasonally in the course of doing the job.
When we get it right we must only intake numbers of horses and ponies that we know we can comfortably cope with, adequately care for and financially support.
When we get it right we get recovering horses/ponies fit and well that can then go on and do their 'jobs' in good loan homes outside of the sanctuary or rescue yard.
And that tricky final day? We hope to get that right most of the time because if we know our horses, really know them, haven't overstocked ourselves, have time to love and spend time with each of them, then we'll know that we chose one day too soon than that one day too late.
Doing the best you can isn't about awards or patting ourselves on the back or silly Brownie point scoring against other organisations, it's about the welfare of these vulnerable animals who depend upon us sanctuaries for their well being.
EMW-UK do our very best to step up to the mark but if you think we need nudging along please nudge us.
You can help to support this UK Equine Welfare charity today by following our Blog or by donating in many ways www.emwuk.org.uk
EMW-UK do our very best to step up to the mark but if you think we need nudging along please nudge us.
You can help to support this UK Equine Welfare charity today by following our Blog or by donating in many ways www.emwuk.org.uk
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