Search is on for special homes to socialise and train horses like Diangelo

Diangelo and Megan

Search is on for special homes to socialise and train horses like Diangelo

We are now looking for equine owners in the South West of England who are willing to provide a special foster home for one of five young horses over the next few years and work alongside us to socialise and train them for future work in our education programmes, which bring horses and people together for each others’ benefit.

As an equine welfare charity, we provide alternative education and training to people through equine assisted learning, therapeutic riding and outdoor learning in nature with our rescued horses and ponies.

Diangelo, Icon, Ilyssa, Kenn and Mason are all young horses who have been rescued or born here at the Sanctuary and specially chosen as having the potential to join our education team in a few years’ time.

The rehoming of these youngsters through our Sanctuary at Home scheme will enable them to mature in a home setting with a knowledgeable carer who can help prepare them for their important role.

Syra Bowden is our Director of Equine .  She says: “These are special horses and we’re looking for special people to care for them for a fixed term.

“We’d like help with their socialisation and in-hand training until they’re mature enough to return to the Sanctuary to begin ridden work and further assessment for their suitability for our education programmes.

“Whilst we can offer this in sanctuary, we believe a home setting is more advantageous for them at this crucial stage in their growth and development.

“We’ll work closely with the carers to keep up to date records of their training, achievements, milestones, setbacks and all aspects of their care.  It will be a real team effort working alongside the staff here at The Mare and Foal Sanctuary for the duration of their stay. The special people who provide a foster home and continue the initial training of these horses will be able to stay in touch with their progress  when the horses return to their important work in the education team.”

The profiles of Diangelo, Icon, Ilyssa, Kenn and Mason can all be viewed in our available horses  section and we welcome people to apply online in the first instance – this being the first step in the process of becoming a Sanctuary at Home Carer.

Dawn Neil, our Head of Education, runs the programmes that help meet the physical, psychological, social and spiritual needs of children, young people, families and adults.  She says:  “Diangelo, Icon, Ilyssa, Kenn and Mason have already proven they enjoy contact with people and we look forward to welcoming them into the education team when they’re ready.

“All our rescued horses and ponies have experienced some form of trauma in their lives, just as our human participants will have.  The awareness and empathy resulting from this understanding can often have a profound impact for the participant experiencing the sessions with our equines.”

More about these horses

Icon had a difficult start in life and we captured his story last Christmas on film.  Click here to watch his journey at the Sanctuary.

Diangelo and Mason featured in our recent Foals Through the Years campaign – here you can view them as young foals and read their stories.

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