Sponsor a Horse - and help us to help them.
Hello, Friends.
Thank you for your interest in sponsoring one of our horses.
By becoming a sponsor, you will help cover the cost of a horses weekly care, which will allow us to begin to secure and possibly grow our business. Currently, we are finding it very hard to get ahead when all our income goes back into the horses.
Our costs have skyrocketed in the last couple of years. We are in desperate need of some infrastructure to ensure we can operate in all types of unpredictable Tasmanian weather - the wind howls through our arena like you wouldn’t believe.
Our feed bill has increased 78% in the last year (thanks, drought) and we have exhausted ourselves trying to keep costs for all our services steady. We know the incredible healing powers that horses have and firmly believe that horse interaction should be affordable and accessible for all.
We have more than 60 horses and ponies of all ages and from a variety of backgrounds. The ultimate goal for each one is to feel valued and form connections with humans. Just like us, horses need a purpose in life.
Not all of our equine friends are currently used in the school. Why, you may ask?
some are taking a well earned break from racing before starting their new life as school horses
others are mentally or physically recovering from other industries such as showing
some of our herd include horses that are too young to be ridden just yet, as we are firm believers in not starting any discipline too early
some of the herd are with us for their retirement and golden years. They are still lightly worked, but rely on the younger, stronger ones to carry the workload
a few (lucky or unlucky - you decide) horses are sent to us as a last ditch effort to assess and work with them before they are euthanised
some horses have come to us through cases of neglect and a soft place to rest and recover
Sponsoring a horse can be a short term or a long-term thing from anywhere in the world. Sponsors will get a variety of goodies as a thank you - including access to our members only section of the website. Premium sponsors will get the option to visit our site on a monthly basis and see their favourite horse.
Our Costs
In the last financial year:
Feed and hay – in excess of $200,000 (up 78% from the year before)
Veterinary work – in excess of $29,000
Farriery – in excess of $5,000 (this is for shoes - we do all trims in house)
DID YOU KNOW:
It costs us over $600 per day to feed our equine friends! Their diet is tailored to their individual needs as well as the current workload, weather and season.
OUR PROCESS - NO HORSE LEFT BEHIND
No matter the background, all our new horses go through the same entry process. Very few have come to us ready to do the job - and even if they do, they are left a minimum of six weeks to get used to their new environment before they are ridden or used in the school. Our process for all new intakes includes the following:
vet assessment for overall health (can include blood tests if suspect)
full dental check and treatment by the vet
feet check/trim by our farrier (and shoes put on if deemed mechanically necessary). We use a special kind of shoe that supports the whole foot rather than a rim shoe
check by the chiropractor (usually twice) before being ridden
saddle fit by our preferred saddle fitter which can sometimes result in a new saddle purchase (especially for high withered horses)
It is extremely difficult to assess a horse’s mental and physical soundness before all of this has been done. Horses that may appear ‘unsound’ simply require some rest and properly fitted gear. On the flipside, horses that are highly stressed will often appear to be fine due to the high cortisone levels in their body, only to fall apart once they feel safe. We have held on to hope for these horses for so long only to have to make the most heartbreaking decision after many months or years. From a financial perspective, these ones are the most difficult. From a business perspective, it makes no sense. From a horse lover perspective, it’s a no brainer. We always give them the best possible chance.
Why Sponsor a Horse?
Maybe you like what we do and want to be a part of something special. We give back wherever we can and are big supporters of our local community. We provide gift vouchers for fundraising, free or subsidised lessons for low socio economic families, new ribbons for local horse shows, pony rides for events for sick children, and much more.
Maybe you want to help us keep our services affordable so we can provide support to as many people as possible. Currently, profit margins are minimal (and taken up by the horses). We see the benefits of horses in the lives of all who come across them, and so we work so hard to keep prices steady despite the rising costs of living.
Maybe you want to be an active part of a horse’s journey. You can have all the perks of horse ownership - we will keep you up to date on the horse and provide you with photos and information. The higher two levels of sponsorship are given the opportunity to come and spend some time with the horses once a month, and you may even get your photo taken with them.
We know we are asking a lot. We appreciate that you have even read this far, thank you so much. At the very least, you’ll have heard our story.
Sponsorship amounts range from $15 to $100 per week. More information can be found below. If none of these amounts work for you, you can make a once off or recurring donation at the bottom of the page. You can also purchase advertising space for your business! Contact us directly to discuss.
Levels of Sponsorship
The Straw Tier covers 1/4 of a horse’s hard feed. Our horses are hard fed once a day with a varied diet to ensure all dietary requirements are met - including supplements for optimal gut health.
The Grass Hay Tier covers 1/4 of a horse’s hard feed and their basic health expenses. Our horses have routine dental checks, body work, farriery, and occasionally need emergency veterinary attention and procedures.
The Lucerne Hay Tier covers 1/4 of a horse’s hard feed and hay costs. It is crucial to provide adequate roughage for horses at all times of the year. This tier includes an invitation to attend the site once a month and visit your favourite horse (or horses).
This Top-Level tier covers 1/4 of the most basic weekly expenses for one of our horses – hard feed, hay costs, and basic vet/farrier/body work costs.
