24 January 2018

Unbacked project horses added to the Redwings Guardianship Scheme

At Redwings we currently rehome rescued horses as ridden or companion horses and ponies, but as part of the expansion of our rehoming scheme we want to offer more horses the chance to live happy lives outside the Sanctuary. So, in an exciting first for us we will now rehome horses as unbacked projects for their new Guardians to continue their training in the home.

Two very special rescued ponies have been chosen to launch this new element of the Guardianship Scheme: 13.2hh, three-year-old cob cross Noah and 14.2hh, two-year-old cob Roxanne.

Noah was born at Redwings after his mum was one of hundreds of horses rescued from South Wales after being found stranded in deep mud without any food and suffering from malnutrition and worm damage. Meanwhile, Roxanne (pictured above) was rescued when she and 14 other horses were found running loose on the roads of a housing estate in Belfast having been abandoned.

Both ponies have shown such a love for human interaction and motivation for their basic training that they have been deemed the perfect ponies to be rehomed as unbacked projects and launch this new development!

Horses, like Roxanne and Noah, who have been assessed as suitable for the scheme, will be trained in the basics by our rehoming team. They will be brought to the stage at which they can be caught and lead, and where they are happy to stand to be groomed and have their feet picked up, to ensure their care needs can be met. But their new Guardian will be responsible for their ongoing education, so we will be looking for homes that have experience of backing or bringing on inexperienced horses.

Rachel Angell, Redwings’ Operations and Rehoming Manager, said: “With the upcoming expansion of the Redwings Guardianship Scheme to include a rehoming centre at Redwings Oxhill in Warwickshire, we feel the time is right to begin to rehome our project horses.

“Even with this expansion, we only have the resources to be able to train a certain number of horses ourselves, but by rehoming unbacked project horses we will be able to give so many more the chance to live a fulfilling life outside the Sanctuary. Indeed we have the potential to rehome over 500 horses currently living in the Sanctuary who have been identified as future potential candidates as unbacked project horses.

“This is of huge importance to us as a charity as it will enable us to create more space to rescue those horses who desperately need our help. So by rehoming an unbacked project horse, Guardians will get the rewarding experience of not only bringing on a horse of their own, but also knowing they have helped give rescued horses like Noah and Roxanne the loving home they deserve and allowing us to continue our vital frontline welfare work.”

Redwings currently has 500 rescued horses living in Guardian homes across the country with many going to successfully enjoy all kinds of disciplines from cross country to showing, as well as serve as treasured companions to other horses.

For more information about our Guardianship Scheme, how to apply and details on the latest horses looking for new homes, click here.