About Us - People 4 Ponies
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In 2001, a farmer bought a group of thirty-one ponies to keep his grass down after losing all his cows in a foot and mouth cull. The ponies did a good job until the crisis was over, when the farms were able to re-stock. They were then surplus to requirements but wild, cross-bred ponies have no commercial value so the future for groups such as these looked bleak. The farmer and some friends thought that maybe the ponies could be given a better chance in life by being caught, tamed and trained.
A group was formed, and a funding application made. The 'UnLtd' organisation funded people4ponies because they liked our idea of using the ponies as a resource for the mutual benefit of ponies and people. The funding money paid for feed for the ponies, wormer, farriery, 26 castrations and vital equipment to help us deal with wild ponies as safely as possible. It also funded events such as a Launch Party, Open Days, a Dog Show, an Equine Arts Day, a Quiz Night and a Pony Camp for Adults! together with all the associated publicity, administration costs and insurance.
Those original 31 ponies expanded to become 53. The last foals were born in 2004 by which time the gelding programme was well underway and we had been loaned extra land to facilitate separation of boys and girls. We have found that our non-confrontational methods are extremely successful on all the ponies but are the only way forward for the ones that have been traumatised in the past by human contact.
Typically, this has occured as a result of identification procedures such as branding, ear cutting, notching or tagging that have been associated with forced restraint and unsympathetic handling methods. The younger ponies that have never had any reason to fear people are very easy and confident. We are very willing to show other people what we do and to talk about and demonstrate our methods.
Many of the original group of ponies are now in permanent homes and a few are out on loan. The younger untraumatised ponies are now being educated for riding and/or driving. Of the remainder, some are quite severely traumatised and fearful and need very careful handling. Ponies like this are unlikely to find homes. They do make very slow progress and it is possible that someone will come along sometime who has the time, expertise, accommodation and inclination to take on such a pony. In the meantime, with our Un-Limited funding gone, we are now self-supporting and our Sponsorship Scheme helps us to care for them.
Although we are still busy with some members of that original group we are also able to help other ponies who are especially needy cases, who have either emotional or physical problems that make it difficult for their owners to ensure their future welfare. Rehabilitation programmes and daily TLC from all our volunteers can work wonders and, when ready, the ponies can be re-homed to a monitored loan home situation.
The project has now settled into a pattern of rehabilitation and rehoming, with regular events each year which include an Open Day, demonstrations of wild pony handling and fund raising events such as The Brooke Rescue Show.
We have considered the option of becoming a registered charity but we believe now that the associated red tape and paperwork would close us down. In other words the disadvantages would outweigh the advantages. Therefore, as a charitable organisation staffed solely by volunteers, we will continue at least until all those original herd members are safe for life.
Thank you for your interest in our project!
Paul and Cilla King at people4ponies.
Cilla and Paul King have been keeping horses and ponies for nearly 40 years. They began to change and re-think their handling methods in 1997 after seeing the inspirational work of Monty Roberts. They have been working with wild, unhandled and traumatised ponies since 2002.