Equine charity Bransby Horses are on the hunt to find a loving home for a special resident who unlike most horses, cannot live in a herd. Duchess, a 15hh mare, was taken in by the charity two years ago, when the family who owned her suffered a sudden bereavement.

Having spent many years alone in her field with minimal human interaction, she developed a strong desire to keep with her herd and could not cope with other equines in her field being taken away or being taken away from them.

In the beginning Duchess’s behavior was quite challenging to deal with and she struggled to adjust to life with more human interaction. However, two years later and she is doing so much better but has maintained her strong desire to protect her herd and is happier grazing alone.

“She is such a sweet mare but if she is in the same field with other horses, she feels compelled to guard them and this needs careful management,” said Rehoming Manager Rosanna Hart. “She’s fine if there are other horses in the fields next to her, and this would be a requirement of her being rehomed, as these challenges could reemerge if she shares her paddock.

“Unfortunately, here at Bransby Horses we manage the majority of our equines in herds and think her quality of life could be improved in a foster home which can meet her unique needs.”

“For this reason, we would really love to find Duchess a home with a Perfect Partner who understands this and is happy to care for one horse. She can’t be ridden but she can be led nicely out for walks and is calm and sweet to handle. She’s a lovely mare who needs an understanding person to give her the love and attention she really deserves.”

As one of the UK’s largest equine welfare charities, Bransby Horses runs a Perfect Partner Rehoming Scheme to provide rescued equines such as Duchess the chance to enjoy life in a carefully selected loan home, freeing up time and space for the rescue and rehabilitation of others.

If you think you could offer Duchess a home, contact the Bransby Horses rehoming team through their website here.