So today, off to Hope Pastures. Even closer to the bus route, but with more land, better facilities and horse/ pony focused (although they have a few mules).
They do not offer riding therapy as far as I could tell, and many of their animals are rescued in order to heal and be adopted back into loving and caring homes.
Two cases in point.
Raphael and Merlin were adopted from a lady who had rescued them herself, but in the end lacked the land and funds to properly assist them. They're Welsh ponies, and were stallions. No-one wants a stallion as a pony (a worker told me) but she couldn't afford to get them gelded.
Hope Pastures took them in, did the deed, and they are both due to be released to pasture by the end of this week. They have adjoining stalls, and the staff would like to think they'd be adopted together, but they know it's unlikely. Still, they're young, good natured and rather beautiful, so they are unlikely to be there for long.
They also rehabilitate battery hens - take them in til their feathers grow back, let them learn to be real chickens and then offer them up for adoption. I saw a few while I was there. This however is not a chicken, as you may well spot. This turkey has been with them for five years. The family who bought her found they could not kill her after all, but could not keep her. She's happy (whatever that means!)
