Peggy

Peggy was a small very dark brown, black nosed, mare relinquished by her owners when they returned to the UK in March 1999. Around 20 years old and independent but affectionate. She was brought from Ballinamore in poor condition and later placed in a foster home with Misty and Sally in Co. Leitrim where she was very settled and happy.

Penny Biscuit

Penny Biscuit came in as a delightful 18 year old piebald Shetland pony mare with chronic laminitis. She was relinquished in 2002 by relatives when her owner died and she was an absolute charmer!

Her front legs were very arthritic, her fetlocks overshot, and she walked on the front of her near fore fetlock which was permanently locked.

Penny lived with the older donkeys in the winter and enjoyed the company of other small ponies in the summer when there was sufficient grass for them all to live out together. She had a fantastic nature.

We lost her in July 2011. This is a message from Sue Paling at that time;

" We already know when one of our loved ones leave, others decide it is time for them too and this time it is Penny Biscuit who has decided she really has had enough. She is just so tired and no longer wants to make the effort even to move around the haybarn. This is an especially tough one, except I am certain in my heart that she is now in pain beyond the point where it is manageable for her. She will be helped on her journey tomorrow - and I suspect dear little Florrie, her companion, will not be long following."

Prada

Prada was a long suffering but very tired, elderly, companion mare donkey; fed up of the constant attentions of a much younger male.

It was hoped Prada would settle in with our older donkey group to enjoy a quiet and well deserved retirement

Pharoah

Pharoah was the first to join us in Winter 2010/2011, his arrival from Co. Wicklow delayed for several weeks by the unusual amounts of frost and snow. It seemed every time his journey was arranged there was a fresh fall of snow either here or on the Wicklow mountains. Finally, early in January, he arrived, delivered by his owners who were forced to part with him through no fault of their own.

At 21 years old Pharoah was persistently lame after being ridden, not good news when he was being kept in a half-livery situation where he needed to work. The veterinary prognosis was not good and his owners were advised towards euthanasia. Reasoning that he could not possibly kill this beautiful animal who had so carefully looked after his three daughters for the last ten years, Pharoah’s owner embarked on a search for a retirement home for him. After drawing several blanks he contacted us, and thankfully did not baulk at us being situated on the opposite side of the country!

After a long journey with delays, due to a puncture on the trailer, Pharoah was naturally a bit out of sorts for a day or two but we noticed he was whinnying constantly to our neighbour's ponies; a grey mare and our fostered albino mare. He was even shouting to a white cow in the distance.

A chat with his ex-owner revealed that Pharoah’s best friend in the livery yard was an albino pony! Luckily for us our neighbours had already fallen in love with this magnificent animal so it was a universally beneficial decision to move Pharoah down the road to live with grey mare Lily, her foal Nutty and our sweet natured albino pony, Fairy. Pharoah was delighted, settled in brilliantly, and saw himself as the patriarch of HIS little group! Equine chiropractor David Focardi checked him out and found no worrying musculo-skeletal problems so possibly, come the summer, he would be able to enjoy some very light hacking with the other ponies. If not, he could remain shoeless, fancy free and fully retired.

Porthos

Porthos was one of two mature stallions who were relinquished from Co. Mayo as an unwanted gift in 2011. They arrived shortly after Athos, Aramis and D'Artagnan, so we continued the 'Three Musketeers' theme; the other stallion being named Musket.

Obviously they had to be kept at a separate farm from our main herd of old mares and geldings and, as they were all big lads, we asked if another animal welfare organisation would take them so they could have the benefit of a hospital environment for their castration operations.

Their transfer took time, partly because they were only 5 of almost 300 donkeys this welfare organisation took in in 2011, but also because, as they were of unknown origin, blood tests for certain potentially dangerous equine diseases were required before transportation. With so many equines being dumped from dubious circumstances it is essential to protect the healthy donkeys from the introduction of potentially fatal diseases.

Roki

Roki was relinquished in early 2008 as his owner had to return to Scotland for work and could not take Roki with her. He was in excellent condition though he did suffer with kidney infections. When he first arrived we understood him to be only about 10 years old and were puzzled that he preferred the company of the “golden oldies” to the younger group. A later examination of his teeth told us his real age, which was nearer 26!

He was nervous with some men but usually friendly towards women. Although inherently shy, being in with the other donkeys made him realise, quite quickly, that if he didn't push his way in, he missed out on the carrots! Increasingly, the tummy won! Happily for us Roki loaded and travelled well so his calendar was booked for many a public appearances like our “Crazy” walk!

Rosie

Rosie was a very aged donkey mare brought to us on the pretext of needing retirement care. We were told she had some difficulty getting to her feet on slippery surfaces but once up could walk and graze perfectly. She was delivered in a filthy cattle trailer on a late January Sunday evening, lying down, unable to get up and unable to stand unaided. She was in renal failure and had pneumonia. Outraged at the ignorance and meaness of her owner, we made her as comfortable as possible for the night hoping against hope she was just exhausted from her journey. On veterinary advice, she was euthanased the next morning. We hope her ex-owner enjoyed the money he saved!

The rear end still swung round if we overstepped her boundaries but finally we chanced taking the horse trailer one day in February and were very surprised when she loaded herself without a bother.

What looked like a ‘worm belly’ looked much the same after dosing, even though she expelled a heavy worm burden, so we hoped against hope there wasn't going be yet another arrival early in the summer! She settled in with the smaller ponies, Candles, Molly, Cobby, Mini Mo and Jetsie and became friendlier with each passing day.

Sammi

A dear friend of the Sanctuary for many years, Mick Healy, asked for his two pony cobs to come into care when he knew he was terminally ill.

Both 14 hh, Sam is a bright bay now around 14 years old and Charlie is a handsome dark dappled bay, now around 16 years old. They were both trained for riding and live out at grass with a neighbour’s ponies, Hazel and her colt foal Hazelnut, Beauty, Foggy and her foal Molly.

Solomon

Solly arrived from Boyle horse fair in November 1993. He was a large fawn gelding in dreadful condition; with lice, overgrown hooves and equine ‘flu'. He was timid, with painful hobble injuries to his off foreleg. Probably around 20 years old and a proper 'working' donkey.

He couldn't be touched for over two weeks, and then gradually gained confidence, becoming very affectionate and cuddly. He was known for grazing the road sides leading up to the Sanctuary but he was able to cross the cattle grid and could be found heading up the road to Carrowkeel. He would come back if you called!

In July 2011 Solly stopped eating and despite a visit from the dentist, with four teeth removed and some hooks burred down, he showed no sign of being hungry. Which he would, even with a sore mouth. The dentist had confirmed he was well over 40 years old and it looked as though it may just be his 'time'. The vet later said that it was probably kidney failure. A much loved and missed character.

Tessa

Tessa was relinquished on the 5th November, 1997 from Enniskillen. A dark brown 8 year old? mare with a 4 year old companion, a mouse grey gelding called Benny.

She was a delightful, very gentle, little mare who had obviously been abused. She was frightened of men and barren.

One day she suffered a serious cut to her knee capsule while out grazing and Benny brayed for help when it happened and stayed with her, encouraging her to walk down to the yard and stable for treatment. Once she was there, Benny returned to play with his companions.

Benny remained attentive but gradually became independent of her as she spent more time with the older mares. Tessa eventually found it difficult being in a herd so she was fostered with her friends, Pandora and Bonnie, where she was extremely happy and settled.

Toby

Toby was relinquished from Meelick, Swinford, Co. Mayo on 15th May, 2004. He was a 9 year old, unbroken, dark bay pony gelding in overweight condition. His hooves were in need of care, as he was tricky with a farrier, but since arriving he came into shape.

He was placed in a foster home near Boyle as companion pony to "Sprite" a spirited grey 13.2 hh riding pony. The ponies lived out with natural shelter all year and Toby lost his excess weight and was much more lively and cheerful.

Inseparable, even though Sprite was very much the boss, Toby was trained for light hacking duties to keep Sprite company on his outings and had no more laminitic attacks.

Tommi

August 1998 Tommi and Josh were relinquished by a German couple when they returned to the UK to live, and later back to the Continent.

Tommi was only one year old, shaggy coated, very sweet natured, lacking confidence and a bit bullied by Josh but he soon learned to hold his own.

He turned out to be “cold backed” so wasn't suitable for fostering with children in case they try to ride him.

Both Tommi and Josh were devoted to each other. They were very friendly and adored attention of any kind; especially if it involved grooming. They worked as a team, regularly pushing their way in until they had you trapped between them, and then squeezing together so you couldnt escape.

Tommi also had a habit of presenting his backside but not to kick, he just wanted to get his rump and rear legs scratched!

The Duchess

In 2011 The Duchess, a potentially glorious liver chestnut cob, arrived from the same area as a very undernourished donkey mare whom we called ERMINTRUDE.

Both had been badly neglected throughout a tough winter, though The Duchess soon showed signs of improvement after a worm dose and good grass.

Whiskey

Whiskey was a liver chestnut miniature pony gelding who came in with Malibu, an overweight white miniature pony mare. Both were placed with a family in a lovely home on the West coast, just north of Sligo. Malibu was on a strict diet until she was a more acceptable size.

Malibu was a dear little thing with a very gentle nature, a perfect foil for Whiskey’s ‘little man’s’ complex!

Wispa

WISPA and her miniature gelding friend OISIN arrived in Spring/Summer 2011. They were relinquished as the elderly lady who was looking after them was finding the going just too tough, especially after the last winter. Wispa was on foster loan from the ISPCA to keep Oisin company and the two were great friends to each other throughout the really bad weather.

Interestingly, once they were at the Sanctuary and given the option to choose differently, Wispa graduated to the larger ponies and Oisin took charge of AYWA and ARIA, two miniature Shetland mares.

Wispa found an outstanding home in North Donegal with a family of three teenage children, one of which was particularly gifted with horses. The family already had a Wispa look-alike called Trigger, a very lonely pony who was over the moon to have a friend of his own at last.