‘Big Help Out’ Opportunities at The Mare and Foal Sanctuary    

Children poo picking in a field

‘Big Help Out’ Opportunities at The Mare and Foal Sanctuary    

Thousands of organisations across the country are getting together to give us all the chance to help out in our own local communities to mark the coronation of His Majesty King Charles III

The Mare and Foal Sanctuary has plenty of opportunities to offer your support and help us to continue to make a difference to the lives of horses, ponies and foals. Together, we’re unlocking a world of natural, wild beauty where ponies and people who were struggling can enjoy life again.

Register to become a volunteer at The Mare and Foal Sanctuary

Could you donate your time and effort to The Mare and Foal Sanctuary? Are you looking to learn new skills, gain valuable retail experience, make friends, and improve your job prospects? You can do all this and more while directly contributing to the care of our rescued horses. We have a variety of volunteer roles at the sanctuary for people from all walks of life.

From working with our retail team at one of our shops or at our warehouse, volunteering to support our comprehensive events programme, to working directly with our horses and ponies at one of our sanctuary sites, there is a range of ways to support us as a volunteer.

If you’d like further information about volunteering at the sanctuary, email our Volunteer Coordinator Kerri Luke at [email protected]. Alternatively call Kerri on 01626 355969.

Sign-up to our mailing list

The simplest thing anyone can do is to sign up to our mailing list. It’s a simple process and will ensure you stay up to date with all of our activities, as well as any future opportunities to offer your support. From news about the horses and ponies in our care, to our latest appeals and fundraising projects and volunteering opportunities, our mailing list is the number one place to find out what’s going on at The Mare and Foal Sanctuary. Just fill out this short form with some of your details, and we’ll do the rest.

Make a ‘snuffle mat’ for our horses and ponies!

What is a snuffle mat? A snuffle mat is an enrichment tool that gives our horses a mental workout and promotes relaxation. Horses love snuffle mats, and it’s a great way to keep them mentally and physically entertained.

A snuffle mat is a flat base mat with strips or loops of fabric attached to the top side. We use them to scatter treats on top and within the fabric strips. The “snuffles” of fabric mimic a pile of grass or loose leaves, and the horse noses through the fabric to find them.

Snuffle mats give our horses a chance to use their senses of smell and touch and they can be used with any feed or treats, so they make great slow feeders.

We have created a handy ‘how to’ video to help you create your own snuffle mat at home. Making your own snuffle mat is a great activity and one which can be done by all the family. Once yours is complete, you can either send it to us in the post to our Head Office at Honeysuckle Farm, Haccombe-with-Coombe, Newton Abbot, Devon, TQ12 4SA, or you can drop it to one of retail shops.

Watch our ‘how to’ video here!

Fundraise for The Mare and Foal Sanctuary in your community!

We don’t receive any government or state funding, so we rely entirely on the generosity of our supporters and local communities to continue to care for the horses and ponies who really need us. Whilst we are lucky enough to receive donations from trusts and foundations, as well as generous supporters leaving us gifts in their Wills, we simply couldn’t continue without amazing people fundraising in their communities and being #heroesforhorses. Whether you choose to have a bake sale, quiz night, or a sponsored walk, run or ride, your support could change the lives of horses and ponies in need. For the more adventurous amongst us, we also offer various dates to undertake a sponsored skydive in aid of The Mare and Foal Sanctuary.

For more information on how you could fundraise on behalf of The Mare and Foal Sanctuary, visit our community fundraising page and download our FREE fundraising pack.

Adopt a horse

We completely understand that not everyone has the setup needed to rehome a horse or to take one on loan from us. That is why we offer the opportunity to adopt a horse and play the biggest role in their lives. Adopting a pony means you pay a monthly fee, which helps us to cover the essentials and ensure the welfare of our equines remains at the highest levels possible. It provides feed, bedding and contributes towards essential medical care each month.

By adopting one of our horses and ponies today, you are helping us make sure that equines in need have a safe and loving home for life.

When you adopt a horse with The Mare and Foal Sanctuary you will receive: a welcome letter, certificate, fact sheet about your chosen pony, A5 photo, bookmark and a tote bag. If you are buying your adoption as a gift for somebody else, you can also include a personalised message. Updates are available throughout the year, and you can talk to other adopters and get updates on our exclusive Facebook group.

Thank you!

Whichever way you choose to support The Mare and Foal Sanctuary, you will be helping us to provide lifelong, life-changing, loving care and support to hundreds of rescued horses and ponies.

If you would like to see for yourself how we care for our horses and ponies, visit our live webcam which is located at our moorland rescue centre in Yelverton. During the day you may be able to see horses and ponies being groomed, receiving care from our vets or farrier and taking part in rehabilitation or training sessions with our expert grooms.

Help us to do something amazing. Join in. Lend a hand. Make a change.

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