A DEVON horse charity is to host one of three events aimed at helping prospective owners understand the realities of taking on a feral or semi-handled pony.

The Mare and Foal Sanctuary will welcome people to its rescue and education centre near Ipplepen as part of a new collaborative series being led by the British Horse Society (BHS).

The three events, taking place across Devon and Cornwall this autumn, have been organised in response to growing concern about equine welfare and the challenges faced when ponies move from semi-wild environments into domestic homes.

The series will begin with a ‘Walk and Talk’ on Dartmoor on September 10, giving participants the chance to observe ponies in their natural environment at Bellever Forest.

Run in partnership with the Dartmoor Pony Heritage Trust, the event will explore herd dynamics, social structures, grazing behaviour, seasonal movement, natural diet and the important role Dartmoor’s ponies play in the moorland ecosystem.

It is intended to provide an important starting point for anyone considering taking on a pony from Dartmoor or another semi-wild environment.

Cath Anderson, Head of Operations at the Dartmoor Pony Heritage Trust, said seeing the ponies in their natural surroundings could help people understand their needs before making decisions about ownership.

‘When you watch a herd moving, grazing and interacting on the moor, you begin to understand what these ponies need to stay healthy, both physically and mentally’. she said.

The second event will bring that knowledge into a practical setting at The Mare and Foal Sanctuary’s centre near Ipplepen on September 14.

The Feral Pony Preparation Clinic will be a full-day session covering the challenges of bringing a feral or semi-handled pony into domestic care.

Experts will look at behaviour and body language, safe facilities and field set-up, initial handling, companionship, feeding, parasite control, hoof care and veterinary planning.

The Sanctuary says the event will give people the opportunity to ask questions and understand what is required before taking on a pony, while also drawing on the charity’s experience of caring for rescued horses and ponies.

Leah Brock, Senior Field Officer at The Mare and Foal Sanctuary, said the organisation was increasingly seeing situations where owners became overwhelmed after taking on ponies without fully understanding their needs.

‘We often meet very kind people who want to rescue ponies they worry will face a terrible fate without intervention’, she said.

‘But if they don’t have the right knowledge, the homes they offer can turn out to be unsuitable, unhealthy or stressful for the pony, even though everyone’s intentions are good’.

The third event will take place at The HUGS Foundation’s site near Bodmin in Cornwall on October 4.

It will follow a similar format to the Ipplepen clinic, using local examples and experience to provide practical guidance for owners and prospective owners.

The organisations involved – including the BHS, Mare and Foal Sanctuary, Dartmoor Pony Heritage Trust and HUGS Foundation, alongside veterinary, farriery, behavioural and training professionals – say working together could help prevent welfare problems before they develop.

The initiative comes against a wider backdrop of concern about equine welfare.

The RSPCA’s Horse Sense report has warned of an ‘equine welfare crisis’, with lack of owner knowledge, inadequate facilities and poor long-term planning among the issues contributing to poor outcomes.

The events are open to prospective and existing owners, as well as anyone interested in equine welfare.

They are free for those unable to pay, with a suggested donation of £5 or £10 per event.