indigo
Grand Prix Poster
Posts: 1,242
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Post by indigo on Nov 28, 2011 13:49:24 GMT 1
Hi lovely DG peeps, well we at the DPTC had great success re-homing the whole of the last herd we advertised, all 11 ponies, brilliant. We have now been approached by a second farmer asking to re-home some of his. So we have another 15 ponies, colts and fillies, even a couple of yearling but mostly foals. The numbers have now been drawn for the zoo meat lottery so these little tots havn't got long left. Here is a link to our blog with a list of ponies and all the info, please share and spread the word, or better still come get a pony or 5 ha ha. Thanks everyone xxx dptcrehoming.blogspot.com/2011/11/new-herd-of-foals-urgently-seeking.html |
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Post by specialized on Nov 28, 2011 16:21:48 GMT 1
Although it is a great job you are doing in trying to find homes, it is not getting to the bottom of the problem - why do they still keep breeding unwanted foals???
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Post by SarahW on Nov 28, 2011 16:39:17 GMT 1
A lot of the farmers aren't - the one that the DPTC help (and who lends us his barn every autumn) is not breeding any more and others are looking into contraceptives for the mares. Little by little attitudes are changing but we have to remember that these ponies play an extremely important role in the conservation of our national parks. Unfortunately, for every filly bred, there is another colt. The DPTC and HOPE have done a fabulous job this year of finding homes for these ponies and dare I say it, using my book, many of them have them tame within days. This can only be good for the reputation of these ponies as easily trainable, amenable and characterful.
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Tuppence
No Longer Posts on the DG
Posts: 727
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Post by Tuppence on Nov 28, 2011 16:57:02 GMT 1
Don't get me wrong, not for one moment am I knocking the work and huge efforts you all make. BUT, when will it all end? When will people see sense and stop all this heartache.. it's not even as if it is 'only' the Dartmoor Hill ponies.. there is the Exmoor drift, the New Forest and the Welsh. Absolutely heartbreaking and soul-destroying. Well done to all who help, I wish I had the facilities to take a couple, but even if I did I could never rehome them! And we already have one Dartie who nobody else wanted!!
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Post by sarahbing on Nov 28, 2011 18:42:25 GMT 1
That little dun pony looks like he will make a lovely child's pony, but I do like the one that fell in the pond!!
Oh dear, shouldn't have looked!!
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Post by specialized on Nov 28, 2011 18:42:53 GMT 1
There is a massive over-supply of 'native-type' ponies nationwide and until the indiscriminate breeders can be educated to stop breeding the only answer is culling or feeding to zoo animals.
'Saving' the excess through rehoming and charities does not address the problem, it supports it.
Even well-bred registered shetlands are now becoming a problem. My neighbour goes from wales to the Shetland Islands to the sales every autumn and until the last 2 years everything was selling. Last year there were only 2 buyers for filly foals and none for colts, he had the farmers begging him to take the colts for nothing but he had no room or market for them - they were all shot. Same again this year, and there is doubt that the sales will take place next year, presumably in that situation they will be forced to stop breeding.
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Post by sarahbing on Nov 28, 2011 18:47:26 GMT 1
We know that specialized, you are preaching to the converted. However, your solutions are long term answers and these little ponies do not have a long term unless they can find good, knowledgeable homes. Indigo is giving them that chance, she is not advocating indiscriminate breeding, in fact is working hard to discourage it, so a bit less negativity might be more helpful  |
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Post by taklishim on Nov 28, 2011 19:05:32 GMT 1
That little dun pony looks like he will make a lovely child's pony, but I do like the one that fell in the pond!! Oh dear, shouldn't have looked!! unfortunately I can't help looking as they are sitting in a field next door to me. I take it these are the ones Indigo? Great to meet you last week BTW. Next time give us a shout and come for coffee. DPTC have done amazingly well to home 11. Come on peeps, surely someone must be able to help? They are lovely little ponies. I have 2 but just cannot take any more. |
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Post by guesstimation on Nov 28, 2011 19:14:14 GMT 1
The dptc has worked extremely hard to help the unfortunate ponies who find themselves with little futures and we've worked very hard to educate people and help the farmers who want to change things, unfortunately that can't happen over night it will take years but for the first time since 2005 when we set up I actually feel positive we will see a change with the changing attitudes of farmers who now realise the problem and want to do something about. Money is not made from the rehoming of these ponies payment covers passport and microchip so in no way do we support financial gain from the over breeding. If you would like to help in other ways friends of the dartmoor hill pony a registered charity need to raise 6000 pounds to support the contraceptive scheme! "If you can’t help by taking on a pony maybe you’d consider a donation to Friends of the Dartmoor Hill pony Registered Charity Number 1141045 who are pioliting a scheme to help prevent this situation occuring year after year. The trials for contraceptives for the mares are being started and much has been donated but for them to be run properly they still need to raise £6000. For full details please see the Friends of the Dartmoor Hill Pony Facebook page www.facebook.com/groups/127734433920292 Any donation, publiclity and spreading the word of this would be much appreciated – it could improve the welfare of many other feral ponies nationwide not just the Dartmoors" www.friendsofthedartmoorhillpony.co.uk/news_detail.cfm?ni=33 |
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Post by andyt on Nov 28, 2011 20:36:04 GMT 1
Upping! Request posted on our facebook site as well. If we had room we would so be taking the little dun filly!
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Post by bertie666 on Nov 28, 2011 20:39:05 GMT 1
Have to say im with Specialized on this.
Also their deaths are not wasted, its the circle of life that keeps us all alive at the end of the day that they provide feed for zoos who provide programs to keep endangered species going and provide jobs for lots of people who can then buy food to keep themselves and their families alive etc....
Just because they're horses rather than cattle/sheep/pigs we should all ignore the above? What makes horses better than any other animal?
Also a lot of childrens ponies have miserable lives being passed from on home to another with bouncing rough handed kids mauling them about. In some instances the bullet is kinder.
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Post by sarahbing on Nov 28, 2011 21:41:22 GMT 1
I'm more of the starfish point of view ;D
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wills
Grand Prix Poster
Posts: 4,657
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Post by wills on Nov 28, 2011 22:05:50 GMT 1
Suggest that u start a new thread about the rights & wrongs of it. Hoping all these wee guys find homes, sadly I'm not in the position to take one.
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Post by guesstimation on Nov 28, 2011 22:20:14 GMT 1
I agree they are no different from cattle/sheep/pigs etc, however up until this year many were being incinerated, not sure if any are this year or if zoo is taking them all, so that doesn't even give them a use all that does is put poor mares through early weaning and being in foal year on year whilst foals go through markets then get shot and incinerated what is the point to that other than causing a lot of stress.
At the end of the day we will do all we can to support the farmers that want to change things, so the mares don't have to go through hell over and over too and hopefully find some wonderful homes for some wonderful ponies along the way.
I am glad of the zoo deal because it means they don't go through the sales, won't travel etc. It's far better than what used to happen, before incineration it was early weaning, market, and live transportation, through markets and across the border.
There's enough animal wastage in this world there is no need to keep adding to it . Pushing the homing of these ponies gets a story across, it gets people to sit up and listen and it gets people tothinking and finding better solutions to ongoing issues.
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indigo
Grand Prix Poster
Posts: 1,242
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Post by indigo on Nov 28, 2011 23:59:35 GMT 1
As usual I need say no more, our lovely guesstimation has put it all so beautifully, and yes please feel free to up this thread and spread the word but we have had the discussion about the complex situation, the why's and the wherefores of these ponies before and I'm asking that this thread does not become the place to discuss it all AGAIN. If anyone would like to start a thread with ideas to improve the situation, rather than telling us what won't work (again ha ha) then it would be very welcome. But this thread is just for finding homes for ponies, thank you to all of the lovely support we have always gotten from the DG xx
Hi takshilim (waving) was so lovely to meet you in person, your horses are gorgeous!!! Sure we will be over your way again soon xxx
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