FAQ

Aren’t there already a lot of horse charities?

Yes there are – and they’re doing a great job, but they can’t cope with the volume of horses who are at risk. “Going Home” works with some other horse re-homing charities and not for profit organisations. Sometimes we’re offered a horse who we feel can be better supported by other organisations. There are far more horses at risk than places within rescue centres.

Doesn't buying from sales push up the prices that dealers get for their horses?

There is a popular misconception that, by buying at auctions, we reward dealers in some way by pushing the prices up. This is quite the opposite to what actually happens. Let me explain:

We do buy horses from sales – but from private individuals who have taken their horses to the sales as a last resort, not from dealers.

We went to a sale in July – just for research – it was heart-breaking, and proved that we were onto something and had to see it through.  A lovely old lady had 7 of her horses there. She and her husband had bred TB and TBx Cobs for 20 years. He had died 12 months earlier and she had struggled to keep her horses going. She had managed to sell a few privately but – facing the fear of another harsh winter – she’d been forced into the decision to take her remaining horses to auction as she simply couldn’t cope. They were in nice condition, feet trimmed and oiled, groomed and looking lovely – and she’d got a professional horse transport company to collect them and take them to the sales. She sat with her horses in the pens – trying to encourage people to buy them – telling them about each horse and their personalities and individual qualities. It was a quiet sale, the weather was awful and there were few private buyers.  6 of her horses  were sold for slaughter; they stood braced against the rain at the end of the sale waiting to be herded into the dealers lorry.  That was when I knew that we had to do something.

NO we are not naive and we’re not lining the pockets of dealers – we are actually competing with the factory dealers for these horses so – if anything – we’re pushing up the prices that they pay for them!

At the end of the day we’re the last resort for some horses who would otherwise have found their way to the slaughter house before their time, just because their lives took an unlucky turn. I know that some horse rescue organisations buy directly from factory dealers – who typically to add about £200 per horse onto what they’ve paid for them at the sales – but we’re not into buying like that.

I’m interested in taking on a “Going Home” rescue horse –
what do I do?

Once you’ve seen a horse on the site that you think may fit the bill, contact us. Even if we’re in the process of re-schooling the horse, you can come and meet them and we’ll see if you could be a good match. You can reserve the horse and take them home once the schooling and assessment process is complete. In order to re-home a “Going Home” horse, you must be at least 18 and have the experience, facilities and commitment essential to devote to your new friend. We make every effort to match the right horse with a new carer.

The horse will be re-homed on loan once the application form and loan agreement have been completed, and references taken. Each “Going Home” horse has a Rehoming fee that reflects a percentage of the costs that have been incurred in the rescue and re-homing process. Typically, the rehoming fee will be £150 - £500. After a successful 12 month loan period, you may have the option to buy the horse outright. If a horse has been gifted to "Going Home" the previous owner may have stipulated that the horse remains the property of our organisation - and we will honour their wishes.

What happens at a horse auction - can I come along with you?

A lot of people find horse auctions really traumatic. We used to - but have had to become tougher and to realise that you can't save every horse.  We regularly attend some of the better auctions - places like the Brightwells general sales in Leominster. This is a catalogued sale and one with some guarantees and regulations.

As with all auctions it really is "buyer beware". There will be genuine sales by private buyers and dealers selling their surplus horses. All shapes, breeds and sizes will be offered - and the prices of individual horses and ponies will typically vary from £40 - £2000+   The factory dealers will be there - they calculate what they're prepared to pay based on the weight (and therefore the meat value) of the horse.  You'll find TB types for £180 - 350, native ponies for £40 - 150.  These are the ones who are at risk. There will also be horses who need bringing back into work (maybe after breeding a foal) or who are returning to work after an injury - these are also at risk as they're not attractive to private buyers as they need work, facilities and expertise.

Some other auctions offer ponies striaght off the mountains - and these have been sold for as little as £1 each.... but remember that these are unhandled young ponies who are going to need a lot of work!

If you would like to meet up with us at a sale and we'll explain the process, the benefits and pitfalls of buying in this way, then please contact us and we'll arrange to meet up. If you can make a modest donation to Going Home for our time, that would be much appreciated.

I would love to offer a home to one of your horses - but I don't have much / any experience.

Some horses require experienced homes, with very good riders and people who are well aware of horse behaviour. Other horses are much easier to deal with. We would consider re-homing to a less experienced home if the horse was pretty chilled out and the new carer (or the whole family!) was willing to spend some days with us and their chosen horse so that they could become familiar with basic horse care before going home. We would also recommend attending some BHS training in horse care.