Foster Scheme
Once fit and well, the animals that come to the Home are assessed to identify their care needs. As you can see from the stories below some of the animals we rescue benefit from being placed in private homes. We currently have over 150 animals out on our foster scheme and we are always looking for new homes. If you feel you could provide a home to one of our animals, then please do get in touch.
On making an application we will discuss your requirements for the animal you are seeking to foster, we will then carry out an inspection of the potential new home. Should work be required to bring the potential new home up to standard we will ask for this to be done and arrange a second pre-home check. It is necessary that we ensure the new home is secure as this helps ensure healthy and safety of both animal and foster owner.
Once the foster home has passed inspection we will match the horse, pony or donkey with the foster owner. The foster animals remain the property of Bransby and we carry out spot home checks three times a year. We produce a bi-annual foster newsletter and are always on hand to provide any advice.
If you are intrested in our Foster Scheme, please download the Application Form, Foster Scheme Guidelines and Sample Foster Scheme Agreement Form, by clicking the links below:
- Foster Scheme Application Form
- Foster Scheme Guidelines and how the scheme works
- Sample Foster Scheme Agreement Form
The Riding Gang at Bransby
Kirsten (left) and Sarah (right)
Bransby is very keen to rehabilitate and get any suitable horses backed and ridden away so that they can have a fun and fulfilled life out in a private foster home. We are very fortunate that we have had Kirsten and Sarah on the yard and they have taken on the riding horses and managed to back and rehome several of them.
Kirsten and Sarah now have a lovely group of animals ready for rehoming. Some of the animals we have will only be suitable to go to very experienced homes so if you or anyone you know are interested please do not hesitate to contact us.
Due to the strangles situation we have been unable to rehome since last August, but we are hoping to start rehoming the riding animals very soon by fitting them up with a suitable fosterer, then isolating them and swabbing them over a period of four weeks to make sure they are clear from any risk of having strangles. They will then be endoscoped before leaving for horizons new. In this time Sarah and Kirsten will continue to keep the animals in work. All this will be going on with close monitoring and help from the Animal Health Trust, Newmarket.
Jaffa has been Re-Homed
Jaffa
Jaffa helping our Humane Handler with a demonstration on one of our Open Days.
Jaffa is a 12yr old 14hh new forest pony who came to the Home at a very young age with his mother. They were both in poor condition but with expert care they were brought back to full health. Jaffa grew up at the Home and was backed by a professional, at the age of four. Jaffa was successfully re-homed and spent a few years in a foster home go to local shows and having lots of fun. Unfortunately they lost their land and so Jaffa had to be retuned to Bransby.
He had little rest and then came back into riding work last Autum. Working with Jaffa and getting to know his character has been very rewarding. He is extremely loving and enjoys being groomed and handled. He also has his little quirks , when ridden but with regular work and patience he has improved.
Earlier this year we have found a new foster home for Jaffa. A young family fell in love with him and have been coming and getting to know him. He has settled well in his new home and his new foster family keeps in touch with us reguarly.
Bilbo and Frodo
The Tealby ponies just after they were turned out in their new paddock safe at Bransby. Frodo is the little dark grey shaggy pony in the front and Bilbo is at the back just behind him.
Bilbo and Frodo were members of a group of ponies that were rescued from a hillside in the village of Tealby , Lincolnshire in 2004. You may remember the Tealby story it was Bransby's largest rescue to date. Alongside Redwings Horse Sanctuary 72 horses and ponies were rescued in one day, the hottest day of the year.
Bilbo and Frodo were yearlings that had probably been born on the hillside, they were totally unhandled and wild. Both were left to run with the group of animals after arriving at Bransby but only for a few days to let them get over the trauma of the move with their friends and family. We separated all the older colts and stallions after a few days at the Home as we didn't want them to be able to get anymore of the mares in foal that hadn't already been covered whilst running on the hill.
What a wild bunch they were! Frodo and Bilbo were extremely timid and nervous of any human contact and it took several months for them even to accept humans into their personal space. After a lot of time and patience from the staff, both ponies eventually were fitted with a head collar. They were kept in one of our large stables and were handled daily including having their feet picked up and going for walks. Both progressed very well and at the end of the summer were castrated. Over the winter the ponies were turned out and their handling wasn't so concentrated. We soon found that if these two cheeky little boys didn't have constant handling and one to one attention then they reverted back to their wild ways. It was decided that we would endeavour to find them a loving understanding foster home a.s.a.p. In spring last year a lady came looking for a Shetland companion for her daughters riding pony, but she ended up with two! What an ideal home the boys have found. Constant handling, love and attention has turned these terrified ponies into loving family pets who can both now be turned out without head collars on.
Pictured above are Frodo and Bilbo in their new foster home. As you can see Frodo is enjoying a stroke from one of his new foster family.
