Hope Pastures

13/02/2025

12/02/2025

🐎Welfare Wednesday 🩷
Part of maintaining the welfare of our residents is physiotherapy!
It is beneficial for donkeys because it helps maintain their overall health and well-being, particularly as they age or if they have any pre-existing conditions.

Donkeys, like other animals, can suffer from stiffness, joint pain, or muscle tension. Physiotherapy plays an important role in preventing and managing these issues by improving their flexibility, strength, and mobility, which is key to their comfort and quality of life.

At Hope Pastures, the team works closely with the physiotherapist to ensure that the donkeys maintain their suppleness and mobility between visits.

We follow our physiotherapist at Thrive Animal Therapy’s guidelines by incorporating a series of stretches and in-hand exercises tailored to the individual needs of each donkey. These practices help to increase circulation, ease any muscle stiffness, and support proper alignment.

One of the Donkey’s favorite exercises is pedestal stretching. This activity involves the donkeys standing on a raised surface, which encourages them to stretch their muscles in a safe and controlled manner. The donkeys enjoy it so much that they eagerly line up for their turn, which demonstrates how beneficial and engaging the process is for them. This kind of positive reinforcement not only helps the donkeys stay physically fit but also creates a bond of trust and cooperation between the animals and their caregivers.

By using these gentle exercises and maintaining consistency, Hope Pastures can support the donkeys’ mobility and ensure that they stay comfortable, happy, and active for as long as possible 🥰

Click here to see Ned’s progress with his physio too https://www.facebook.com/share/v/15eN2bBCtQ/?mibextid=wwXIfr

11/02/2025

Ellie and Penny enjoying a mutual groom 🥰❤️

10/02/2025

🌿🚶‍♀️ JOIN US FOR A SPONSORED WALK & RAISE FUNDS FOR HOPE PASTURES! 🚶‍♂️🌿

Looking for a fun way to support Hope Pastures? Lace up your walking shoes and take part in the Aireborough Rotary Club’s Sponsored Walk on Sunday 2nd March 2025!

📍 Start & Finish: Horsforth School, LS18 5RF
🕘 Start time: 9:00–10:00 AM | ⏳ Finish by: 2:00 PM
💰 Entry: Just £1 per walker (Under 5s go free!)

Choose from:
👣 5km Route – A shorter, fully accessible walk on pavements around Horsforth
🌿 10km Route – A scenic walk including part of the Leeds Liverpool Canal towpath

🚸 Suitable for families, groups & individuals
♿ Buggy & wheelchair accessible
🏅 Certificates for all finishers

🐴 Why walk? Well, the donkeys have heard about it, and as you can see in this photo, they’re expecting great things. There is no pressure, but they have very high hopes (mainly involving carrots).

📢 Sign up by 23rd February by emailing [email protected] and let us know your name and which walk you'll be doing. We'll send you a sponsorship form, and you're good to go! 🚶‍♂️🌿

09/02/2025

🌹💕 This time of year can be challenging for us financially—we rely on donations and legacies to keep going, but we never know when they’ll come in, making budgeting a real challenge.

One way we raise vital funds is through our Adoption Scheme. If you'd like to support Hope Pastures, why not choose an adoption this Valentine’s Day instead of roses or chocolates? It’s a gift that gives twice—helping to care for our rescued horses, ponies, and donkeys while making the love of your life smile...or why not practice self-love and treat yourself! All we ask is a minimum donation of £20 - you can, of course, donate more if you'd like to 🙏

If you buy tonight or tomorrow, it will posted to reach its destination by Friday!

Find out more here: https://www.hopepastures.org/adoption-scheme/ 💕🐴

06/02/2025

Stormzy loves a morning nap 😴💤

05/02/2025

Please take a moment to vote so we qualify for a goody bag to pamper the ponies with 😊 https://www.facebook.com/share/15b7mkvnbe/?mibextid=wwXIfr

VOTING NOW CLOSED - WINNER TO BE ANNOUNCED SHORTLY

UK Horse Charity Giveaway - YOU CHOOSE THE WINNER!

To celebrate reaching 3000 followers, we would like to give a Prize Bundle worth £59 to a UK based Horse Charity of your choice.

To nominate which horse charity we should send this prize bundle to, simply vote for them in the comments below, tagging them if you can.

The winning charity will be the one with the most votes on this post, one vote per person.

Until the voting closes on Saturday 8th Feb, we will share the pages and information for each charity mentioned, to help promote the excellent work they do.

The bundle includes:

Minty Munchies - minty low sugar, fibre-based nugget treats

Yea-sacc - improves hind-gut digestion

Whole Rosehips - a natural treat and a rich source of vitamin C

Magnesium oxide - easily absorbed source of magnesium for calming, strong hooves and reducing fatty deposits

Spearmint - make feeds more appetizing and supports the digestive system

04/02/2025

Tally has been with us over a month now and has adjusted to life at Hope Pastures!
He’s made a new friend in Ollie who has helped him settle in and be more confident. Tally has seen the vet, dentist and farrier and was such a brave boy. Thank you to everyone that donated towards his care when he first arrived with us.

03/02/2025

Think we found Pennys itchy spot 😍❤️

31/01/2025

UPDATE: Thanks to everyone who came along - we made a fabulous £190 and collected a horse box full of unwanted tack to sell in our tack store. 🐴💙 Tomorrow, we’re hosting a fundraising stall at the fabulous Burnhills in Cleckheaton, and we’d love for you to come say hello! 💙🐴

We're raising money for Hope Pastures, where a couple of our field shelters need new roofs. The recent heavy snow and cold weather saw them much the worse for wear - we have patched them up with a temporary fix of tarpaulin. It’s a small but important thing that’ll make a big difference in the long term.

We’ll be at Burnhills from 9am with a fabulous tombola and some bits and bobs to sell. You can drop off any unwanted/preloved tack with us whilst we're there. Why not pick up an adoption pack for your loved one for Valentine's Day? It is only a £20 donation annually and lasts much longer than roses!

We’d love to see you if you’re in the area. Whether you can donate or want to come to chat and find out more about us and show support, every little bit helps, and hopefully, by Monday, a new roof will be on the horizon.

Hope to see you there! 😊

30/01/2025

Clover doing her best impression of a fire breathing dragon 🐉 🤣❄️

28/01/2025

Looking for an exciting day out for your little ones? 🐴

Sign them up for a Pony Day at Hope Pastures on Saturday, 8th February, 10am-2pm!

They’ll:
✨ Muck out and fill hay nets - perfect for burning off energy!
✨ Poo pick - believe us, they love it!
✨ Meet our lovely ponies
✨ Enjoy a fun craft activity
✨ Take home a Hope Pastures goodie bag

It’s a hands-on, fun-filled day they’ll love!

Open to children aged 5 and up. Don’t miss out—book their spot now! 💚. https://www.hopepastures.org/product/pony-day-8th-february-2025/

If you can't make the 8th, look at our other pony days that take place during school holidays. https://www.hopepastures.org/shop-pony-day-places/

27/01/2025

Update on Our Beautiful Little Pony, Ellie

Ellie joined us last year and due to her round shape, we suspected she might be carrying a foal, so we arranged for a pregnancy test, which confirmed our suspicions as the results were positive. With that news, we kept a close eye on her every step of the way, monitoring her around the clock including during the night.

At Hope Pastures, we have a strict no-breeding policy, and with Ellie’s unknown history, we couldn’t help but worry about the size of the foal’s father and how it might affect her. To be absolutely sure, we arranged for a second test which was also positive.

A few weeks ago, Ellie became very unwell. She wasn’t herself—lethargic, refusing food, and clearly in discomfort. It was heartbreaking to see her like this. She was so unwell we made the decision to take her to Rainbow Equine Hospital for urgent care and investigations.

Ellie had to have scans and emergency fluids & It was there we learned the news that she was no longer expecting a foal. We don’t know whether she re-absorbed the foal earlier in her pregnancy or if the tests had been false positives, but our focus shifted immediately to understanding why she was so unwell.

The next few days were so challenging. Ellie’s condition was serious.
Her digestive system wasn’t working as it should, causing her pain and complications. The Vets and care team at Rainbow worked tirelessly to help her, giving her the very best care possible. With the right medications, extra care and expert help, Ellie began to make small improvements. She was diagnosed with Colitis and was really struggling to cope with the condition.

After several days in the vet hospital, Ellie finally turned a corner. It was such a relief when we brought her home.

The healing journey hasn’t been easy, and we’re still keeping a very close eye on her. She’s finished her medication now, and though we’re cautiously optimistic, every day she makes it toward recovery feels like a huge step forwards.

This has been one of the most challenging times for everyone. Ellie has stolen the hearts of everyone she’s met. When she first arrived, she was so timid and unsure of herself, but over time, she blossomed into the confident, cheeky, and affectionate pony we adore.
Seeing her so vulnerable and unwell was so sad, but now, watching her graze in the fields with her best friends Bernie and Penny is a lovely sight to see.

Ellie has been so brave, and we are so proud of her. Please keep her in your thoughts and send her all the love and positive energy as she continues to heal.

Thank you for caring about Ellie as much as we do. 💖 Ellie couldn’t wait to get back In the horse box to come back home!

25/01/2025

Do you or someone you know have a c**t that needs castrating? 🐴

Aireworth Vets are running two castrate clinics at a discounted price of £220 per horse on Tuesday 25th February and Thursday 27th February!

Please book via Airworth office:

📞 call 01535 602988

CASTRATE CLINIC🐴
We will be running two castrate clinics, Tuesday 25th February and Thursday 27th February, for the discounted price of £220 per horse.
Please ring the office on 01535 602988 to secure your place and avoid disappointment!
Terms and Conditions:
▪The total price of £220 must be paid up front by the client, either upon booking or when collecting the horse. A £50 non refundable deposit must be paid to secure the booking place.
▪Standing Castrations Only.
▪Colts must be aged between 10 months and 4 years, in good condition with two fully descended testicles to qualify.
▪Must be performed at the practice.
▪Any charges related to post-operative complications are not covered within the remit of the package and will be charged in addition.
▪Offer available for advertised dates only.
▪Passports must be present at time of castration.
▪It is a legal requirement for your horse to have a passport and microchip. If your horse does not have a microchip or passport, we are happy to provide estimates of costs for this to be performed at the same time as castration.
▪The offer includes; Castration, Sedation, Local Anaesthetic, 1 Antibiotic Injection, 1 Pain Relief Injection and 4 Equipalazone sachets.
▪The following treatments/procedures are not included in the price of the package; vaccinations, hospitalisation, further anti-biotics, NSAIDs and treatment for any post-operative complications.
▪If your horse/pony is not vaccinated for Tetanus they will require an additional injection of Tetanus anti-toxin at the time of castration which will be charged in addition.
▪If the patient has fully retained testicle/s then a more complex procedure will be required, this cannot be performed at the practice and you will be referred to another practice.
▪It is at the discretion of the treating veterinary surgeon to determine eligibility criteria. The practice reserves the right to alter the terms and conditions or remove the discounted package from circulation at any time

23/01/2025

Whiskey 🩵🩵

22/01/2025

🌟 Calling All Rug Collectors! 🐴❤️ 🌟

Do you have rugs tucked away in storage, unused and waiting to help horses in need? Perhaps they’re the wrong size or just collecting dust? 🧥

🎁 Donate Your Rugs 🎁
We’re specifically looking for:
🧥 Sizes 4'-5'6 and 6'0-6'3
But any and all rug donations are welcome, even ripped ones!

✨ What Happens to Your Donations? ✨

Rugs in good condition go straight to ponies who need them!

Ripped or alternative sizes are:
📦 Stored for future cases,
♻️ Recycled if damaged or unusable, or
💚 Sold to raise funds for needed sizes or to support even more horses in need.

🌨 Your unused rugs could keep a pony warm this winter. Some of these horses have no owners or anyone to care for them, and your donation could make all the difference.

📩 How to Donate:
Drop donations off Tuesday to Sunday between 10 am - 3 pm. Can’t make it during these hours? Just send us a message, and we’ll try our best to sort something out!

Thank you for helping us keep these incredible animals stay warm this winter! 🐴❤️

21/01/2025

Cheeky Alex ❤️🫏