Where it's not a case of buying but a case of keeping

October 23rd Brecon derogation pony foal sale.

Did we buy, No...Why not? Because knowing how hard it is to find homes and how expensive it is to geld colts, knowing we have 2 shetlands coming in (one in a poor state) and one that will have to be gelded. 

Knowing that the next two auctions will be really bad as winter and the economy tighten their grip..We made a trustee decision and  said no. 

It was hard it was difficult and it was probably heartless in some ways, looking at those babies and knowing for more than 30 it was the last few days of their short valueless lives,you can't just do that and not think about them, about their sad little faces.

So here's the reasoning- The spaces held are going to be taken without a doubt by whatever comes in from the next two deep winter auctions, not to mention ponies from abandonment and neglect. This charity are back in Brecon at auction on November 6th.

Today at the auction were WHW/RSPCA/T/S-LAHO's from the Welsh Assembley/EMW_UK and SWAR it did seem almost that the welfare organisation representation outnumbered buyers! 

We do wonder if we'll continue to see that presence at the monthly sales....we'll wait and see!

Oh there were also plenty of press with big fancy cameras too.

Just to re-iterate, this charity did not buy today. It's hard enough placing adult ponies let alone young foals, trying to rehome these ponies will prove to be pretty hard and colts of course will need gelding. Extra hungry mouths to feed and extra workload on winter ground with not much chance of moving them on is what stopped us today.

Bidding and buy was an easy thing to do, many foals going through the ring for just £2.10 each but then add on that the £30 for passporting/chipping and actually you've got a foal of average price anyway...So really they were at usual value.

But then take into account having to feed and care for them, feed and care when funding is already and issue and public doantions are low, why bring them in when we know we'll be crying out for help, already many charities and rescues are failing because of lack of funding. We think it prudent to hold on, take in what we can next month and december and stay within our funding limitations.

We hope our supporters agree this is prudentand that we did make a hard but right choice today.

The next sale will prove interesting. At this one entries will be already passported(and chipped if required) they will be a far truer indication of the economy and equine prices.

We just hope that the breeders take head and keep the wombs empty - even one of the main dealers said as much today - we all agreed that to let the mares go barren for 2, 3 or even 4 years would be no bad thing...then watch prices soar and give back real value to these traditional Mountian ponies.