Aggie Froniga

Aggie was an aged mare relinquished by her owner in Ballahadereen on 12th August 2005. She had been brought to her by a neighbouring farmer as unwanted and she couldn't manage another donkey as she already had three of her own and a pony.

Aggie’s hooves had been been sawn off but not apparently damaged. She was overweight and a gentle soul. She was adopted immediately by Ezra Dumphy who was one of our Golden Oldies and very affectionate.

In 2010 Aggie had several choking episodes and severe weight loss. She finally went spirit side on December 1st following another choking episode that the vet was unable to clear. She was nearly blind in her last months and spent a lot of her time in the yard. She was much loved and all who worked around her miss her "nudge-bumping" her way around looking for a cuddle, food or both!

Alfie

Alfie was Cassie’s son from Boihy, Manorhamilton, Benbow Mountain. He was relinquished to Sai Sanctuary because his owners were emigrating to Australia.

He was a 10 year old, mid brown gelding, broken to harness and used to pulling a cart. He was also very friendly and great fun. Alfie was later transferred to the SSPCA, to keep MOSES company, and they made a lively, playful, pair.

Aramis

In 2011 three donkey stallions, Aramis, Athos and D’Artagnan were found abandoned in a forest near Coolaney, Co. Sligo. The donkeys were a little undernourished, full of lice and had extremely overgrown hooves, the like of which we hadn’t seen for 15 years.

They had been placed behind a second set of gates, out of public view, and well behind a forestry notice stating clearly that any animal found grazing forestry lands would be immediately confiscated. With the help of the Gardai, we had no problem bringing them away.

(How we wish more owners of forestry and private lands would display such notices!)

Ashtar

Ashtar arrived on October 4th 1993. He was bought from Ballinasloe Horse Fair for £35.

He was a five month foal, with a very dark brown coat, a barely noticeable cross, and a mealy muzzle. He wasn't weaned and had been taken from his dam, then left standing out in the cold and wet for two days and nights. He was suffering from severe pneumonia and pleurisy. Sabine Conboy, our Vet, attended. He was treated with homoeopathy and antibiotics and eventually recovered.

Ashtar later bonded with Isaac, Luke and Morestina. His feet were troublesome and had a tendence to abscesses but he was a quiet and loving donkey.

Athos

Athos is one of the three donkey stallions found abandoned in a forest, near Coolaney, Co. Sligo in 2011. Along with Aramis and D’Artagnan, Athos was a little undernourished, full of lice and had extremely overgrown hooves; the like of which we hadn’t seen for 15 years.

The donkeys were well out of public view, and well behind a forestry notice stating clearly that any animal found grazing forestry lands would be immediately confiscated.

Benny

Benny arrived on 5th November 1997 from Enniskillen along with Tessa. Tessa was an abused little mare and Benny had been bought as a companion for her.

Benny was was four years old on arrival; a mouse-grey gelding, lively, friendly and beautifully marked. He was devoted to Tessa but also loved to be 'one of the boys'.

Following an accident to Tessa’s knee she spent more and more time with the older mares and Ben gradually joined up with the younger gang of geldings.

When Tessa was fostered with Bonnie and Pandora to a family in Magennis, Tormore, Glencar, Co. Sligo in June 2005, Benny was content to stay with Josh, Tommi, Ashtar and the other geldings. He loved people and adored being groomed.

Benson

Benson was relinquished reluctantly from Co. Mayo in 2011 when his owners were obliged to return to the UK.

He was a fun loving donkey gelding with wonderful ‘sticky-up’ ears and a taste for chewing zips, buttons, toggles and jacket hoods. Visitors were warned that he also nipped when he felt he wasn't getting all the attention!

He quickly settled in with the main boy-gang and was often to be found hanging out with Finbar, to whom he bore a remarkable resemblance.

Bhodi

Bhodi (alias Noddy) was delivered to us from Co. Cavan as his lady owner was downsizing and ‘not interested’ in keeping him. Had she not been able to place him in a Sanctuary she would have had him euthanased rather than sell him into an unpredictable future - a responsible attitude but none-the-less we are delighted she found us first.

Bhodi was an extremely handsome donkey of good size and had a wonderful gentle and affectionate nature.

Billy Magpie

Billy Magpie was bought by the relatives of a Sanctuary follower for her 60th birthday on 16th July 2005, as a rescue from Drumshanbo Horse Mart, and he was relinquished to the Sanctuary.

He was a generally depressed, 30 inch, miniature Shetland stallion, gelded on 30th August 2005. He had worm belly, which was treated on arrival, and a tatty main and tail and good hooves. He was underweight but soon gained more, and eventually we had to keep his weight down! He was quiet and affectionate, except when his hooves were handled; when he became a demon.

Persistent and patient handling, especially from the farrier, paid off and he became easier to handle. He usually grazed with Bobby and Cobby.

Bobby

Bobby and Cobby (see below) were relinquished 13th August 2005, when their owner was admitted to St. John's Hospital, Sligo on a permanent basis.

Both ponies were in good condition and had nice natures. Both had worm bellies and lice, which were treated on arrival, and their hooves needed trimming too but they were not abused.

Bobby was very aged and was the more dominant of the two. They were placed in a foster home but were returned in June 2006 as Bobby was unable to eat and was losing weight rapidly. He subsequently had five teeth removed by equine dentist Lisa Molloy, with vet Evi Stabler attending, and improved rapidly.

In April 2012, Bobby suddenly stopped eating and two vets concluded he had a growth in his throat. He had always coughed, especially after eating, but the growth was now stopping his food intake and gradually blocking his airways. We all felt it was time to let him go. Cobby knew something was happening and presented himself at the gate to be let in. He went over, sniffed at Bobby, wandered round the shed for a few minutes and asked to go out again. It seemed he also knew it was Bobby's time.

He was a chatty little character who was much missed in the yard.

Bonnie

Bonnie came to the Sanctuary on 29th February 2000. She was a small dark brown mare and had been rescued, in poor condition, from a brutish owner and homed for five years with a friend. The friend then had to move premises and was unable to keep Bonnie or her other horses any longer. Bonnie was in excellent condition on arrival.

She had a slight twist in her near front hoof and a quidding problem, despite having her teeth rasped. During November 2002 she was attended by an equine dentist and had a large molar extracted, after which the quidding stopped and Bonnie was able to eat normally.

She was always a little delicate and inclined to be irritable around too many other donkeys or visitors so she was fostered with Pandora and Tessa in June 2005 where she seemed much happier and more contented.

She died, suddenly, at a great age, in March 2007. A much loved, and much missed, long eared person.

(Quidding is when an equine balls up feed stuff in their mouth and then drops, or spits, balls of semi-chewed feed stuff onto the floor. It is a sign that there are problems with chewing.)

Brandy

An attractive 7 year old 12hh dark bay Exmoor pony. Relinquished during November 2006. He was overweight with a kind nature and breathing difficulties.

The vet confirmed he had had a rope halter left on him, probably as a foal, which had grown too tight, becoming embedded in his nose and behind his ears and had damaged his nasal passages. He now has white scarring over the nose and behind the ears. He is heavy crested and has a history of laminitis. He eventually lost his excess weight and turned into a stunning pony.

In 2010 he found his way into the hearts of a young family in North Donegal where his job was to be companion pony to their own elderly Shetland gelding. This was an experienced home, able to manage Brandy’s laminitis and the problems he had with breathing from his damaged nasal bones and cervical vertebrae. It was wonderful to see such a great pony happily rehomed.

Candles

Candles was relinquished to us in August 2008 as a chronic laminitic. The soles of both her front hooves had dropped and she was lame on her near fore leg. She was a sweet natured little pony who quickly adapted to living out with our other small native ponies.

We hoped that once her hooves were corrected she could, in due course, be offered to a loving and experienced home as a companion pony.

Charlie Garrett

In August 2011 Charlie, a beautiful young stallion donkey, was relinquished when his owner died. Once he was gelded, in September 2011, Charlie joined Noah, another young gelding. Thereby releasing Noah's long suffering but very tired elderly companion mare donkey, PRADA, from Noah’s constant attentions.

Charlie girl

Charlie girl arrived on 8th April 2003 via Sligo SPCA. She was found hobbled and tethered in a field by the N17 near Castlebar. A small grey mare in poor body condition with a lice infestation and sawn off hooves (as shown in the photo). She was unable to move as she had wrapped herself around the stake and ‘sat down’. She was lame and absolutely terrified.

The Gardai confiscated her and awarded her into our care. It took many weeks to gain her confidence before even her hooves could be properly trimmed. She was placed in a foster home on 22nd August 2005 as a companion donkey and subsequently grew enormously.

Cherokee

In 2011, Cherokee, Lyric and Lyric’s friend Legend, came to stay to free up valuable space at the ISPCA in order that more immediately rehomable ponies could be handled and fostered out. Cherokee originally came to us during the winter of 2009 with Sienna and Blue, but as she was then heavily pregnant with Lyric she travelled straight to the ISPCA at Derryclogher for foaling down.

Unfortunately Cherokee had an unpredictable temperament and was, therefore, not considered suitable for rehoming so she is staying at the Sanctuary indefinitely.

Clara

CLARA was an 18 year old, 12.2hh grey pony mare relinquished by Pegasus – Horses Help People, Annagh Mor House, Moneygold, Grange in October 2003. She was once a great gymkhana pony but had become very laminitic. It was hoped she would cope with light work helping children with disabilities but as she went from one laminitic attack to another Pegasus decided to retire her to Sai Sanctuary.

It was soon noticed that she disliked children but she was fine with adults so she was fostered in January 2004 to Monasteraden, as a companion pony to Kalinka (a dun Connemara). Kalinka had just lost her mate who was also 12hh, white and wore a green jacket just like Clara’s. The two ponies bonded almost immediately and despite living out at grass all year round, Clara has not had a laminitic attack since. Long may it last!

Cobby

Cobby was relinquished on 13th August 2005 with Bobby, when their owner was admitted to St. John's Hospital, Sligo on a permanent basis.

Cobby was too fat and potentially laminitic but, generally, both ponies were in good condition and had nice natures. They both had worm bellies and a lice infestation, which were treated on arrival, and their hooves needed trimming but they were not abused. Cobby was black with some white and was younger than Bobby, who was the more dominant of the two.

They were placed in a foster home but were returned, in June 2006, as Bobby was unable to eat and was losing weight rapidly due to a dental problem but after five teeth were removed, he gained the weight back.