Help Us Build a New Shelter for Our Shetland Ponies in Holne

Hi, I'm Marilyn and my husband, Hugh, and I have been running a non-profit business called Humaryn Shetland Pony Rides on the edge of Dartmoor National Park for the past 14 years. We have 8 Shetland ponies. Over the years, our business has become successful, but we don't make a significant profit, and we don't take any money out for personal use. The costs of feed, insurance, licensing, rent, vet bills, farrier services, teeth checks, vaccines, and replacement equipment have all increased significantly due to the current economic situation. Despite this, we have not raised our prices because we want children to have a wonderful experience.

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We offer pony ride sessions for children as young as 2 years old, where they can groom the ponies (both miniature and standard), tack them up, and enjoy a 30-minute ride along the lane. Parents from all over the UK and outside the country bring their children to us, especially while on holiday in Devon. We also have many local and regular visitors, including children from neighbouring counties. We rent the land, and under our licensing, we must have two small stables available year-round in case any ponies are unwell and need to be isolated.

 

There was a large pole barn in the field that we had been using for the past 13 years. Around mid-2023, it started to lean, and by September, it was leaning badly, so we had to stop the ponies from going in. The landowner got his insurance to agree to the repair scheduled for December 2023. However, the horrendous wet weather delayed it, and we hoped to complete it in January 2024. But it blew down entirely during a bad storm with powerful winds just after Christmas. Unfortunately, the cost of the rebuilding was out of the question, and the insurance would not cover it. The landowner is not prepared to provide shelter for us. We can't afford this ourselves and hope to raise some funds for an excellent shelter for them next winter. It will also shelter them during the summer months from any extreme sun. They had to stay out in all weathers since the barn collapsed, and although they didn't appear to be worried, we didn't like it. The shelter has to be on skids as that is the rule of the Dartmoor authority.

 

We don't like to ask for help, but we want to ensure our ponies are comfortable during bad weather and less muddy for winter rides. Any assistance with fundraising, no matter how small, would be greatly appreciated. Thank you so much for your help; even the smallest effort is appreciated.