Hoofbeats Equine Rehabilitation Sanctuary

A local charity with 23 mouths to feed…

Having officially been set up in 2000, Hoofbeats Sanctuary has gone from strength to strength, rehabilitating a range of horses and ponies from its Dartmoor yard. But restrictions brought about by the coronavirus pandemic have had a dramatic effect on the finances of this small charity, which is now appealing to the public for help.

After rescuing her first horse at the age of 18, founder Sharon Vieira’s passion for the rehabilitation of horses hasn’t been without its learning curves. Former racehorse ‘Second Chance’ was the unplanned beginning of an ever-growing sanctuary for unwanted equines. Sharon told Links magazines about her first rescue: “At the time I thought I was so lucky to be given an ex-racehorse; I remember wondering how anyone could abandon a horse that has worked so hard for humans. Little did I know how tough it can be to own an ex-racer, yet how rewarding working with a rescue horse can be.”

From these humble beginnings, Sharon has remained devoted to giving horses and ponies of all shapes, sizes and backgrounds a ‘second chance’ at life, in memory of her first rescue. Now, more than 30 years on, together with a team of like-minded, dedicated volunteers, Hoofbeats has rescued more than 150 equines, finding them lasting and loving loan homes which are regularly monitored. With every penny donated and fundraised going towards the horses and ponies in their care, it has been no mean feat for Hoofbeats to reach this impressive total. Working all year round, and with an average of around 20 horses awaiting homes or being rehabilitated on site at any one time, the costs can really mount up – the charity’s running costs alone add up to £1,600 a month. It’s a task made even harder by the unavoidable effects of the coronavirus pandemic. As Sharon said: “When Hoofbeats takes on horses and ponies, they forever remain our responsibility. Sadly, some of our adopted horses and ponies have been returned to our care, due to the unavoidable effects of coronavirus.”

Having made the heart-breaking decision to cancel all of their planned fundraising events for the usually busy spring and summer periods, the charity has also lost a vital source of income. With 2020 being the charity’s 20th anniversary year, the team at Hoofbeats had already begun planning celebratory events to mark the occasion, supported by the charity’s new patron Michael Mathieson, front man of the popular folk band Mad Dog Mcrea. He has two ponies on loan from Hoofbeats at his pub - The White Thorn at Shaugh Prior. Sadly, these events have now had to be put on hold.

“We had such high hopes for 2020,” said Sharon. “Last year, our team worked tirelessly to re-home our horses and ponies, reaching an all-time record number of successful re-homings across the South West and beyond. We were determined to surpass these figures this year, but coronavirus has definitely meant that finding these equines the loving homes they so deserve has become a lot harder.”

With the decrease in donations and fundraising income and so many horses and ponies currently in their care, Hoofbeats is in desperate need of support as funds run low. The bill for winter hay provisions alone can cost the charity thousands of pounds a year as a bale of hay costs the sanctuary £35 and lasts one pony one month, meaning hay alone costs the small charity over £1 a day. Launching the charity’s emergency coronavirus appeal, Sharon said: “We know that given the current situation around coronavirus, individuals' funds are at an all-time low - but that includes us as a small charity. We know times are hard for everyone, but as a charity surviving on donations alone, our funds are at risk, and these horses and ponies really need our help.”

To help ensure the future of these horses and ponies and enable them to find their deserved loving homes in the future, you can donate to Hoofbeats today. The Dartmoor-based charity’s emergency coronavirus appeal can be found at justgiving.com/hoofbeats , or you can donate via Paypal at fundraising@hoofbeats.org.uk

To find out more about the work of Hoofbeats, please visit hoofbeats.org.uk , or follow their facebook page for updates at facebook.com/teamhoof