 |
2494 Dunrobin Road Ottawa, ON K0A 1T0 613.222.4719 info@ccwr.ca |
|
|
|
| Registered Charity #868244476 RR0001 |
| CCWR Sanctuary Ponies |
|
|
Ponies and horses are expensive to care for. Digestion problems and foot problems are very serious, so they need a good diet and proper hoof trimming by a farrier every 6 weeks to ensure good health. Ponies can die quickly from indigestion (colic); they are unable to vomit anything they eat. They need regular grooming, exercise, water and good quality hay. Older ponies need specially balanced diets. Ponies typically live between 25 and 35 years. They are social animals who need companions, preferably other ponies. As well as farrier visits, our ponies receive de-worming medication several times year. They also get annual vaccines from the vet for West Nile Virus, Rabies and Tetanus. It costs at least $1200 per year to properly care for a healthy horse or pony. These days when money is tight, many people are trying to find homes for horses they can no longer afford. |
|
MishkaThis sweet pony is now over 30 years old! She has trouble keeping on weight, but is otherwise in good shape. She was a favorite for riding lessons for many years, but has now retired. The stable who kept her asked us to take her in; they cannot keep horses who no longer work. Mishka wasn't used to sharing space with animals that aren't horses, so at first she wasn't impressed with the goats and pigs with which she shares the barnyard. She's adjusted well and will now share hay with the goats instead of chasing them away, but still isn't happy about the pigs! As are all horses, Mishka is a social creature. She loves human attention and is happy for the exercise riding she gets to keep active. Despite her age, her hooves are in good shape and she moves smoothly without signs of arthritis. She is bright, attentive and affectionate. We are working to try to get some weight on Mishka; because of her age, she has lost a lot of her molars so cannot break down hay enough to properly absorb the nutrients. She eats a special senior horse food as well as alfalfa-maize cubes that are easier to digest. |
|
|
PipsqueakPipsy is about 15 years old and like Mishka, has retired from life as a riding lesson pony. Although she is still fairly young, she has had bouts of lameness and she could barely walk when she came to our farm. With lots of careful attention and good hoof trimming, she has recovered well and now spends almost all of her time on her feet. |
|
|
|
IagoLike Pipsqueak, Iago is a middle aged pony with a history of lameness. When he first came to our farm, he frequently had times when it was painful for him to walk. Again, good hoof care and activity have helped his quality of life improve and his problems with lameness are now rare. |
|