North Mayo Horse Sanctuary

North Mayo Horse Sanctuary
Ballina
Co Mayo
Ireland

Tel: 087 7659273

Email: northmayohorsesanctuary email.com

Mr Gerry Ginty, a Mayo County Councillor is the founder of the NMHS which he established in 2012.
Why did he establish NMHS? Because he was witnessing a large number of equines being abandoned and destroyed.
Some were being destroyed in the most barbaric way such as having a nail shot into the head which resulted in a horse taking hours to die!

Mr John Redmond of NMHS kindly agreed to an interview with me in relation to the NMHS.

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The Interview:

Are you a business or a charity?
We are a registered charity

How are you funded?
We are self funded and often receive donations directly to the charity or through our shop in Ballina.
However Gerry Ginty (the founder) donates his work pay from Mayo County Council directly to the funding of NMHS.
We sometimes receive funds from the Department of Agriculture.

How is a horse rehabilitated?
We rescue a horse, take him/her to our stables, full medical assessments are carried out, the horse will be micro chipped and marked.
We will cater for the horses dietary needs.
We will interact with the horse so as to build trust.
His/her needs will be taken care of.
We will practise lunging in circles and eventually if we are satisfied that everything is alright we will re-home the horse.

As well as a horse being adopted, can a horse be fostered and what is the process involved?
Yes, horses can be fostered as well as adopted.
We do a home check so as to make sure there is suitable land/grass and shelter.
We want the fosterer/adoptee to be competent in how he/she cares for the horse.
We do routine follow-up checks.

What is a good diet for a horse?
Grass (but not too long), hay, maybe supplementary feeds such as oats, barley etc.

Case Study:
Q: I know of a horse that is being abused and mistreated, what can I do?
A: If the horse is on County Council Land you should contact the local County Council, however they will say to contact the Department of Agriculture, but when you do they will then tell you its a County Council matter.
You will be sent from one to another and back again...
If you contact the Guards (bear in mind they aren't aware if the equine standards)
The clarification is still needed, its still a grey area of topic which we want awareness brought to.
Maybe best to contact us directly as NMHS.

What additional information can you please share with me?
*We often employ people through local CE Schemes, for instance one young girl came to work at the stables and is now running the shop in Ballina.
*We have saved approximately 300+ horses since the NMHS was established in 2012.
*We often have young children visit, some who arrive are angry misunderstood children but when they leave us they have a new fondness of animals and respect not only for themselves but for others too.
*We do NOT like killing an animal unless it is absolutely needed.
*Horses bought on the "black market" such as through the website DoneDeal are not supplied with the appropriate paperwork, they are not medically assessed, are not micro chipped or marked and are often should from €50-€80 and often sold to young children.
You (the buyer) do not know the medical history of the horse, you do not know his/her temperament, you do not know the living conditions in which the horse was currently in.
Please do NOT buy a horse on the black market.
*Horses bought at civilised horse fairs are blood tested, come with the appropriate paperwork, are micro chipped and marked.
The rules are taken seriously and compassionately taken onboard.

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Please Help:

http://www.northmayohorsesanctuary.com/donate.html

http://www.northmayohorsesanctuary.com/shop.html

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Website:
http://www.northmayohorsesanctuary.com/

Facebook:
https://m.facebook.com/NorthMayoHorseSanctuary/

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The NMHS Charity Shop:

https://m.facebook.com/NMHS-Charity-Shop-178205549200343/

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Equine Identification Advice Ireland:

http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/environment/animal_welfare_and_control/control_of_horses.html

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Important Information:

The Anatomy of The Hoof -
The hoof is constructed of 17 parts;
Width
Length
Toe
Sole
Apex of frog
Seat of corn
Pigmented walk
Water line
Heel
Bar
Quarter
Periople
Bulb
Frog
Collateral groove
Central sulcus

How They Are Made:
Horse hooves are thick coverings that protect the end of the horse’s leg and also provide shock absorbency.
Horse hooves are made of keratin.
The keratin in a horse’s hoof is layered in horizontal sheets, so as to add strength and minimise the extent of any damage that could split the hoof irreparably in the event of a crack.
Horses walk on their tiptoes so they require a spongy pad beneath the heel on which to walk.
The outer wall of the hoof is insensitive but the inner parts can feel pain. Today most horseshoes are often made of steel and therefore offer added shock absorbency as well as traction on the ground.
The curved metal bands come with between six and eight square nail holes through which the metal pins can be slotted.
The nails are hammered into the nerve-free outer wall of the hoof which securely fastens the shoe.

Care of the Hoof:
During the Summer months horses should be trimmed or shod approximately every six to eight weeks.
Despite saying that, a responsible horse owner should trim the hooves as often as needed.
During the Winter months the hooves grow more slowly and because of the slower growth rate horses can be trimmed at a longer interval, approximately eight to twelve weeks. Each horse is different, therefore the trimming period depends on the amount of hoof grows.
A balanced hoof allows the horse to move better and puts less stress and strain on bones, tendons and ligaments.
Weather conditions can cause damage to the hoof.
During dry weather horses are prone to having dry and brittle feet that easily develop hoof cracks.
Proper nutrition and commercially available hoof supplements can help improve hoof quality.
During the Winter months special care should be taken especially if the horse lives outside or is turned out.
Snow can ball up under the sole and cause bruising and/or imbalance.
Ice can be very slippery if the horse is shod with normal shoes.
Snow pads will prevent snow and ice from building up under the shoe and will allow for better traction.
Winter weather can dry out the hoof wall and applications of hoof moisturiser may be needed.
A horse’s nutrition can help alleviate some hoof problems.
The perfect healthy diet and constclean water is important for hoof health and overall horse health.
Bad nutrition can result in hoof problems, but correcting a horse’s nutrition can improve the condition...