Back on their field at last!

Hi everyone

Apologies for the delay in bringing you this week’s blog, due to a technical problem, but here it is.

All the horses and ponies are well this week.  With a break in the weather, we saw a bit of sun this weekend and this enabled the “laminatic field” to dry out and drain enough to let the horses and ponies back on the field.  As you can see from the photo, the horses and ponies are happy to be back on their field and to feel the sun’s ray on their skins.

“What’s that?” says Lilly

Now the horses and ponies are back on their field and the weather being dry, this has meant that our lovely Arrian and Lilly were able to go outside in the small paddock for the first time on Saturday.  Both Arrian and Lilly really enjoyed their time outside, with Lilly springing, bouncing, leaping and bucking around to everyone’s delight, and Arrain being a proud mother giving just the right amount of protection, yet letting Lilly investigate and say hello to the other horses and ponies on the other side of the fence.  As you can see from the photos, Lilly is growing up and becoming more beautiful each day.

Arrian and Liily

Our Fix-It team are busy fencing off an area to make a paddock especially for them both, with access to their own field shelter, so that they can both enjoy their time outside in a safe, foal-proof field.  It should be completed in a few week’s time (weather permitting) but until then Arrian and Lilly are having their exercise in the small paddock during the day, and stabled in the barn during the night.

As you know, Adam Shereston is due to hold a demonstration at Pablos Horse Sanctuary on Sunday 1 July, Adam has been in touch with the good news that he is opening his new centre of horsemanship in Arundel, West Sussex, which will offer livery, training, rehabilitation, demos and clinics.  However, his new centre’s opening day is Sunday 1 July  2012, so he’s had to reschedule his visit to Pablos to later in the year, possibly September, with the date to be confirmed.  We are honoured that Adam chooses to volunteer his time to Pablos, to help and work with horses and ponies here, and wish him all the best for his new UK base in West Sussex and can’t wait to see him again when he visits Pablos.

We would just like to take this opportunity to say “Get Well Soon” to long-standing volunteer Dawn who gives her time to do the administration of the Sponsoring a Horse scheme, and also volunteers her time in the evenings to help out with the yard duties.  We’re all missing you and hope to see you back soon.

Thank you this week to Ken and Ann Johnson for holding a car boot sale which raised £30.  Also we would like to thank the following for their kind donations received this week – Mrs Pashey (£15), Mrs Gray (£25) and to volunteer Lynda (£50).  A big thank you to a lovely lady (sorry we didn’t catch your name) who came to the yard on Friday and donated rugs and tack for Pablo’s New and Nearly New Equine Stall, it’s really appreciated – you’re all stars.

Have a good week

A “dry” Ginger

Hi Everyone

Hope you have all enjoyed this Bank Holiday weekend.

All the horses and ponies are well, and Lilly continues to grow and seems to get even more gorgeous and sweeter each day.  The horses and ponies on the “laminatic field” have been able to go back on their field for two days whilst the sun was out over the weekend, but are now back on the yard due to the wet weather forecast over the coming week.  ”When will this wet weather change?” is the question and topic on all the volunteers lips at the moment!  However, as promised, a couple of photographs of a “dry” Ginger, the bright chestnut pony who has returned back to the yard, from being rehomed.

Little Jerry

For those of you who joined us last year in August when we had Adam Shereston, horse whisperer, you may remember when Adam worked with Little Jerry and Christina Scarlet (date for your diary is Sunday 1 July when Adam is coming back to Pablo’s!).  Work has continued with these two ponies by the volunteers, and now Little Jerry has reached an important stage in his life – his first feet trim with the farrier will be happening in a few weeks time.  We’ll keep you updated.

A big thank you to the Fix-It team, who have given their time over this bank holiday weekend, for painting inside the barn which includes Cherry’s stable.  Unfortunately the wet weather has meant that completion of outside jobs have been limited, but this has given the opportunity to catch up on jobs needed inside the barn.

Another “dry” Ginger

An article about Pablo’s Horse Sanctuary featured in the Grantham Journal last week, and there is a link to a short video taken by the Grantham Journal, which shows Arrian and Lilly, and also some of  the volunteers working inside the barn.

We are pleased to let you know that Rita and Jim Leggett are arranging a Queen’s Jubilee Street Party at Severn Close in Melton Mowbray, to raise funds for the horses and ponies at Pablos, which will also include a raffle on the day.  We are always looking for new and fun ways of raising money to keep the sanctuary running and are planning to hold band nights and events at our new venue which is “The Kings Head” pub in Melton Mowbray.  Their function room has just been freshly renovated and looks great, so if you have any ideas for evening events, please get in touch.

A big thank you to Lindsey at Rise Holm Feeds in East Leake for their kind donation of 6 bags of horse feed, and to Mrs Salter for her kind donation of £10 this week.  Also a huge thank you to our fundraising volunteer Gayle who held a stall on Melton Market on Saturday and raised close to £150, and to volunteer Wendy for holding Pablo’s New and Nearly-new Equine stall today at High Meadow Farm Show Day at Barrow on Soar which raised £90; a big thank you to Mr Bill Finney and Judith (yard manager) for their kind invitation and all of their customers for their support.

Wendy will bringing the Equine Stall to Soar Valley Riding Club Jubilee Show in Quorn on Sunday 3rd June, and at Canaan Farm Equestrian Centre Jubilee Show in Costock on Monday 4th June.  If you are able to donate any equine items for stock for our stall, please do get in touch.  Collection of donations can be arranged.

The Equine Stall at High Meadow Farm Show today

Hi Everyone

Cherry and Lou

Well all the horses and ponies are well this week, all a little wet and waiting for the sun to come back out (like us all!!). The “laminatic field” is still very wet, due to poor drainage, so the horses and ponies from this field are still on the yard and will be allowed to go back on once it is has dried out. Unfortunately, with all the wet weather we’ve been having, this week it had been arranged for the Kinoulton Girl Guilds to come and meet some of the horses and ponies on Thursday evening, but this has had to be postponed for a few weeks time, when the yard and fields have hopefully dried off.

We would just like to say a HUGE thank you to all the members of the fantastic Fix-It Team who have, over the past 2 years been putting up and repairing all the field shelters. This has meant that there are now plenty of field shelters for all the horses and ponies, so that they all have dry and safe shelters during the continuous down-pouring of rain over the past few weeks. Also a BIG thank you to all the volunteers who continually help to care for the horses and ponies during this bad weather, getting soaking wet whilst making sure all the yard duties are completed regardless.

Ginger

This week saw the return of Ginger, who was rehomed but her foster family are no longer able to look after her. Ginger is an approx 15 years old very bright chestnut mare, who is 14hh. As Ginger as a few health problems which requires daily medication and careful monitoring, it has been decided to keep Ginger at the yard in Long Clawson on a permanent basis. As Ginger is such a friendly and well-mannered pony, she has made many a volunteer fall in love with her and a few of the volunteers are now funding her medical costs for her. Ginger loves equine company, and now lives with Little Jerry and Christina Scarlet and they get on really well altogether. More photos of Ginger will be on the website next week.

A huge thank you to new members of the Fundraising Team Jenny, her daughter Kirsty, Mandy and Lynda who raised £238.30 at the car boot sale in Melton today. Also to for Sheena, an ex-volunteer for her kind donation of £10 and to Lou, one of our youngest volunteers at 11 years old, who held a home-made cake and small toy sale, at Dame Hill Primary School in February, that raised £69.02 which was received this week.

Our volunteer, Wendy took Pablo’s New and Nearly-New Equine Stall to Riverside Riding Centre at Asfordby today which raised £70. A big thank you to Bekky and all of the liveries for their continued support and Wendy will be back there on Saturday 23rd June.
Wendy and the Equine stall will be at the show at High Meadow Farm, Barrow on Soar on Monday 7th May, if anyone has anything they are able to donate, Wendy will be there all day. The Equine Stall will also be at Soar Valley Riding Club Jubilee Show in Quorn on Sunday 3rd June, and at Canaan Farm Equestrian Centre Jubilee Show in Costock on Monday 4th June.

This week we’ve also received a cheque from Recycle 4 Charity for the sum of £22.35. If you have any ink cartridges that you are able to donate for recycling and raised some funds for Pablos, then please click on the link on the right and don’t forget to put Pablo’s unique code C17828.

Have a good week.

Lilly at one week and four days old

Hi everyone

All the horses and ponies are well this week, albeit a little wet from all this rain we’ve been having.  The horses and ponies that live in the “laminatic field” are all still on the yard due to their field being too wet, but hopefully when the weather gets better and the field dries out then they can go back on.  We are pleased to report that Arrian and her little foal are both doing extremely well and the little filly has been named as Lilly.  Lilly is now one week and four days old and as you can see from her photo, she is still such a cutie and extremely friendly and very curious (still bouncing around as well!).  Her mum Arrian is a beauty, as you can see from her photo.

Beautiful Arrian (mum to Lilly)

This weekend was a busy fundraising weekend, as Morrisons Supermarket in Melton Mowbray very kindly allowed Pablo’s Horse Sanctuary to hold a store collection on Saturday and Sunday.  Due to the very kind and generous donations, on Saturday an amazing £342 was raised, which included one gentleman who arrived with a Quality Street sweet-tin full of coins which he was going to cash in at the coin-counter machine, but donated the whole tin to us, and the kind lady who gave a bag of 5p coins which added up to £5.  On Sunday, our volunteers were in the store again and a fantastic £196 was raised, which makes a grand total of £538 raised, which is an incredible amount.  

Volunteers (l-r) Rachel, Kat, Wendy and Gayle at Morrisons on Saturday morning

We would like to say a HUGE thank you to volunteers, Gayle, Wendy, Rachel, Kat, Jenny, John, Amanda, Julie and Sarah for giving their time over the weekend, which allowed the collection to take place 8.30 – 5.00 on Saturday, and 10.00 – 4.00 on the Sunday.  Also a MEGA thank you to Morrisons and also all their super-special customers for all their support and donations.  As you know, Pablo’s Horse Sanctuary is run on a volunteer-only basis, all of the £538 raised will be spent on the welfare of the horses and ponies.

Volunteers (l-r) Amanda, Kat, Julie and Sarah on the afternoons of Saturday and Sunday

Thank you this week to Mrs Wallace for her kind donation of £10, Mrs Ball for her kind donation of £30, and Dorothy and Sally Jones for their kind donation of £30.  Also to Nigel and Mavis for their generous donation of food supplements for the horses and ponies, and for Jim and Rita for their kind donation of a strimmer and items for a car boot sale.  You’re all stars.

Volunteers (l-r) Rachel, Gayle, John and Jenny on Sunday morning at Morrisons

Wendy held Pablo’s new and nearly new Equine Stall at Soar Valley Riding Club in Quorn which raised £60 today. Thank you to the SVRC Committee and all of the members for their continued support, especially coming to see the stall in the bad weather!.  On Saturday 28th April Wendy will be holding the Equine stall at Riverside Riding Centre from 9.30am onwards. If anyone has any donations of horseware/riding clothes they can bring them to Wendy there or, contact Wendy direct to collect. Wendy will also have our new range of Pablos cards, T shirts and polo shirts for sale.

Have a good week

Pablos New and Nearly-New Equine Stall at SVRC on Sunday

One-day old new born

Hi Everyone

We have very special and exciting news to report – the first foal was born at the Sanctuary this week! About 6 weeks ago when there was snow on the ground, sanctuary was given to a 21 year old Welsh Section A mare named Arrian who was heavily pregnant. Her owner was struggling to look after her and did not have any stabling or facilities needed for the impending birth.

Arrian and her foal (4 days old)

On Wednesday morning, when the volunteers arrived at yard it was discovered that Arrian had her foal, a little filly, during the night. We were told that Arrian was an experienced mother and she had beautifully cleaned and dried off her new born. The vet was immediately called and throughly checked over both mother and foal, and gave them both a tetenus injection and a clean bill of health. However, the little foal was slow to begin to suckle, so we would like to thank Gill Stevenson from The Hose Stud, Mount Pleasant in Hose for all her expert help and advice on the day, and are pleased to report that the little one is now suckling very well, and happily bouncing around the stable.

Both Arrian and her little foal (still to be named) have now been signed over to Pablo’s Horse Sanctuary. Arrian is doing very well since the birth, and as she is such a friendly and loving pony, she is very content around her foal – however, as you can imagine the absolutely gorgeous foal is a big distraction at the moment and yard duties are taking twice as long!!!

The new field shelter

Our Fix-It team have been hard at work this week and have finished the new field shelter for Murphy, Bella, and Shanty’s field. As you know, all the fields are poo-picked on a daily-basis and the poo is put on a mound at the side of each field. However, the erection of this field shelter was made a little harder due to the fact the location was to be on the very large poo-mound. So the back-breaking job of moving (and bagging up) of the poo-mound had to be done first before the building work could commence. So really well done Fix-It Team – you’re all stars.

Thank you this week to Suzanne from Eastwell for her kind donation of £30 and Hazel Lovett for her kind donation of £50. Also a big thank you to Bottlesford Brownies who saved up all their spare change in a jar and this raised a wonderful £24.35. Thank you also to S. Milner & Son Saddlers & Riding Outfitters in Rural Industries, 
John O’Gaunt 
near Melton Mowbray 
who are going to have a stock clearance and donate the items to Pablo’s new and nearly-new equine stall.

Wendy with our fundraising game

Volunteer Wendy held our “Can you guess the pony’s name” game today at Rearby Lodge Riding Club Cross Country Event and raised £30, thank you to everyone at Rearsby Lodge Riding Club for their continued support.

Don’t forget next weekend our volunteers will be at Morrison’s Supermarket in Melton Mowbray holding a store collection. Funds need to be desperately raised for the quarterly rent and the vet’s bill – so please if you have any spare change that you could donate it would be very much appreciated.

Have a good week

The lovely Murphy

Hi Everyone

Happy Easter and hope that you’ve had a good bank holiday weekend. All the horses and ponies are well this week, however, unfortunately due to the all the rain that we’ve had this past week, this has meant that the pony field is now too wet for all the horses and ponies in the first field (laminatic field), so they are back on the yard until the field has dried out a bit.

This week saw the return of Murphy, who was rehomed as a companion horse last year. Sadly the horse that Murphy was being a companion to had to be put to sleep due to health problems, and the owner is not able to offer a home to Murphy any longer. Murphy is a 16.2hh grey gelding, who is approx 14 years old and can not be ridden, however he is such a well-mannered, sociable and gentle horse, and very good looking as you can see from his photo. Murphy is now with Shanty and Bella in their paddock and Shanty and Bella follow him around everywhere.

Lady and Jack

Also this week, an article was published in the Melton Times about Pablo’s being inundated with requests to care for unwanted horses and ponies and issuing a public plea for help to continue our work. Thank you to Melton Times for the article and you can read the article in the “Stories and Tributes” section. The picture showed Carole with Cherry. As many of our regular readers know, Cherry is our very special pony, who came to Pablo’s after being in a traffic accident and was left traumatised and blind. After a lot of care and attention, Cherry is now a very happy pony who makes friends very easily, and all the disabled children who visit the yard gravitate towards her which she loves. A truly special pony.

The Fix-It Team have been busy (as always) and this week with the help of Craig, they fitted a new water tank to catch rain water for use on the yard. The water tanks really do help to reduced the water rates bill, which is due shortly.

Kizzy

A huge thank you to our star carbooters – Ken and Anne Johnson who regularly hold car boot sales in aid of Pablo’s, who this week presented a cheque for £65 from holding 3 car boot sales. Also to Mrs Stockdale who visited the yard in Long Clawson today with her son, and after a tour around the facilities (and falling in love with the foals!) she very generously donated a cheque for £200. Also thank you to Craig of Belvoir Groundcare who is currently cleaning out his hay barn and has kindly donated all the loose hay.

Have a good week.

Grass at last

Hi Everyone

We are pleased to report that all the horses and ponies are well this week and all have been looking forward to this special weekend.  As the Winter period has finally come to an end, this means that all the horses and ponies have now been moved to their Summer quarters.  There was much excitement on the yard (as you can imagine) when each horse and their companions were led back onto their paddocks.  Once released they all joyfully galloped around, bucking and enjoying the feeling of grass underneath their feet, then some of them followed this up by having a good roll!  Congratulations go to our oldest pony Dolly, for winning the title of “biggest buck”, even though Dolly is 46 years old she is amazing for her age, and second place went to General.  It is also lovely to see horses and ponies whose futures once looked so bleak and uncertain, now happy and having fun with their companions.  Thank you to volunteer Chris for supplying the photos this week.

Savannah

Our volunteer Wendy took Pablo’s new and nearly new equine stall to Soar Valley Riding Club show today which raised £182!  A lovely day was had by all and  a big thank you to the committee and their members for supporting us.  Wendy will be at their next show on Sunday 22nd April.   Wendy is looking for some more stock in particularly summer/show/travel sheets and children’s riding kit, so if you are able to help to donate any equine donations for stock please get in touch with Wendy (contact info in “How you can help” section).

Coco having a roll

A big thank you this week to Louise from Buttercup Feeds for her kind donation of equine items for Pablo’s new and nearly new stall, and also to Richard our fantastic farrier who donated some bales of hay.  This is really appreciated as hay is constantly needed as some of the horses and ponies came into our care with laminitis, and therefore have restricted access to grass, so they need to be fed on hay all year round.

In a few weeks time, Morrisons in Melton Mowbray has very kindly offered us to hold a collection day on Saturday and Sunday, 21st and 22nd April,  so if you see one of our volunteers, please pop over and say hello and if you could donate any spare change – it would really be appreciated.

Have a good week

Dixie enjoying the sunshine in Iccarus's pen

Hi everyone

Well it’s finally here, the clocks have gone forward and we’ve had a wonderful sunny weekend – what a great way to start the British Summer time!  We are pleased to report that all the horses and ponies are well, and still loosing their Winter coats which is keeping all the volunteers busy trying to keep up with all the grooming needed.  All rugs have been removed, with the exception of a couple of the very old horses which still need the extra bit of warmth at the moment.  Everyone is looking forward to next weekend, when all the horses and ponies will be moving into their Summer quarters, for some this means going back into their paddocks, and for others it means being moved out of the barn into the outside pens.  This is an exciting time and one of the main events at the yard and next week we’ll be able to bring you photos of the big event.

Winston snoozing in the shade

The two new ponies which were given sanctuary after being abandoned in village in South Leicestershire, now have been named.  They are Frankie and Freddie!  They are settling in well and being handled by volunteers, both Frankie and Freddie need to be gelded and once this has been done, they will be placed with our volunteer Andrea to be cared for.  Andrea is a longstanding volunteer who is very experienced with horses and will be able to provide them both with the care and expertise needed to bring them both on.

Thank you this week to volunteer Russ who spent Wednesday giving the kitchen a good Spring clean and clear out and doing such a superb job!  Also to Roger for checking and mending all the electric fences this week, so they are now all ready for the horses returning to the paddocks next weekend.

Jive relaxing in the sunshine

We would like to thank the 3 new volunteers, Lynda, Mandy and Jenny, who are all local ladies who came to help out at the main yard this week. Lynda not only donated £90 for hay but also signed up to the Standing Order scheme and got a few of her friends to donate regularly through the scheme too, and donated equine items for Pablos new and nearly new equine stall!  It is always wonderful to see new volunteers, and they are always very welcome and needed, but as Pablo’s Horse Sanctuary is completely run by volunteers, we would like to say a HUGE thank you to all the volunteers – the Sanctuary could not run without you, and your hard work really is appreciated – you’re all stars!!!

You may remember that in mid-February the Knoulton Girl Guides performed the pantomime “Cinderella” for their families and friends.  On the night they also held a raffle with all the proceeds raised to be donated to the care of the horses and ponies at Pablos.   We are pleased to report that they raised and have presented a cheque for an amazing £151, and all the Girl Guides are coming down to the main yard on the evening of 26th April to meet some of the animals that they have helped.

Magnum

Now Summer is officially on its way, don’t forget about your garden.  We have the most beautiful well-rotted manure which has been bagged up (in feedbags) for collection, and all for just a small donation.  Your plants and roses will love you for it!

Have a good weekend

Daisy

Hi Everyone

All the horses and ponies are well, with Lady’s and Bizzie’s ongoing treatment yielding good improvements. You may be aware of the reports of the growing number of horses and ponies being abandoned by their owners, sometimes on parks, golf courses and just let loose in villages. This is very concerning, and Pablo’s was contacted about two ponies that had been abandoned in a village in South Leicestershire, which had been running wild for weeks, and amazingly had not come to any harm yet. Although the Sanctuary is full and financially struggling, and since no other organisation was able to help, the two ponies were given Sanctuary here. Their names are yet to be decided, but they have settled in quite well and are being stable-kept together.

The Daily Mail recently printed an article on “Hundreds of horses abandoned by owners”, which will be available to view on the “Stories and tributes” page from Wednesday onwards. This highlights the current problem and how animal charities are struggling to help all the animals in need. Also with the effects of current recession reducing donations and feed / hay prices doubling, every bit of help that Pablo’s Horse Sanctuary receives is so appreciated and we will do everything to keep the Sanctuary going through these tough times.

Beautiful Bella

As the 1st of April is coming nearer, this is the time when all the horses and ponies are allowed back onto their grass paddocks, an event the horses and volunteers are looking forward to!  Around this time we are needing to geld 6 ponies; the 4 foals rescued from Dartmoor and 2 colts, so that they can be rehomed.  The cost is approx £200 per equine, and we are needing to raise funds so if you are able to help, please get in touch. Also we are still needing volunteers to spend time with the foals to help with their socialisation, so again, if you are able to help – please get in touch with Carole.

A big thank you to Lyn and family from Gotham, for her kind donation of £100 this week. Also a huge thank you to Ray and his family from Liverpool for their kind donation of work tools to help our Fix It Team (please note no tools are kept on site, since the break-in, they are stored safely at volunteer’s homes), and also their kind donation of £50. Ray and his son Craig have been helping out over the last two Saturdays with routine maintenance at the yard, and Craig will be joining us for work experience. Ray also kindly donated the CCTV security cameras which have been in place on the yard since last Summer. Thank you – you’re all stars!

Have a good week

General and Jive relaxing in the sun

Hi everyone

We are very pleased to report that all the horses and ponies are well and have been enjoying the lovely weather this week.  The volunteers have been busy removing rugs and doing plenty of grooming to help remove the horses and ponies Winter coats.  At the moment there is a lot of spare hair on the yard coming from hairy horses!  There’s only a few more weeks to go and then all the horses and ponies will be back in their paddocks.

Some while ago we took on a pony which had many emotional issues due to the trauma that she had suffered in her life.  Although settling in very well with her new equine companions, she naturally was distant with humans, but has been slowly gaining confidence to realise that she is in a safe place now. However, her hoofs began to grow a bit long, as previously they were being worn down naturally.  Due to her delicate nature, she needed expert handling to have her feet trimmed, and this was done for the first time on Monday. We would like to say a huge thank you to the following for their help, dedication, patience and amazing skills:  Simon Parker from the RSPCA, Rachel from Crescent Veterinary Practice, vet and volunteer Helena and to Richard and Rolf from Spencer and Son Farriers for beautifully trimming her feet with such care and expertise.

Bizzie, out and about in the sun

A big thank you this week to Hollie and Sophie Large of Oadby, who will be 8 years old and 3 years old in April, for their kind donation of £30.  Also to volunteers Wendy and Shirley who held Pablos New and Nearly New Equine stall at the Equine Car Boot Sale at The Polish club, in Melton on Saturday which raised £170. A big thank you to everyone that came and supported us, and also all those that have donated items for us to sell.  If you are able to donate any equine items,  please contact Wendy on email:  whcarter@onetel.com .  Also thank you to volunteer Shirley for holding a car boot sale today at Melton Mowbray Car boot sale.  You’re all stars.

Remember, if you’re thinking about treating your garden roses then get in touch as we have some great well-rotted manure, as much as you want for a small donation.

Have a good week