Our Resident of the month available for your sponsorship during July/August for just £20 is EMW Conker. BRIEF HISTORY Conker was entered at Brecon auction in November 2021, he was the last Lot to got through the ring on the day, we spotted him in the pens on arrival, we made the decision to stay right to the end for him that day. It was cold and damp already going dark. This pony was listed as an “11 year old 14hh riding pony” What he clearly was, was a shambling emaciated wreck of a horse, both of his eyes had issues, we deemed him to be blind/semi-blind in both eyes. As the auction neared the end he was brought into the sale ring tacked up despite his terrible condition and the bidding commenced. We were determined to bring this horse home and we held the bid to win him. We immediately arranged transport and paid for him and got him loaded to travel home. His passport/chip had been issued the day before the auction, with no information nor details other than it was an Irish passporting authority. His previous life given the state he was in must have been awful as he had severe rain scald, bite marks and other scars yet despite all this he was sweet natured and willing to trust.On arrival in sanctuary we named him Conker befitting his bright bay colouring. It was late and cold and dark so he was immediately stabled and given plenty to drink, a soaked fibre feed and hay as well as a deep warm straw bed and then we let him rest until the following day. At the start of the working week our vet came out and assessed Conker doing the usual blood panel, strangles test, worm sampling, weight tape, dental work and trying to determine his age and checking those eyes.
Lucky for us our vet specialised in ophthalmologist so he could tell pretty fast what was going on. After numerous tests it was determined that our boy was totally blind in one eye and with very limited sight in the other. He is lucky to still have working tear ducts which caused us to make the educated decision not to have his eyes removed. Conker was estimated to be at least early 20’s possibly more. Conker has thrived in sanctuary, after protecting his gut flora he was wormed and fed 4 small meals daily until he put on bodily condition for his height, he was measured at 14.3hh on arrival and weighing no more than 310kg. It did not take long on our clean and ample grazing and nutritious feeds to build him back up to around 420kg and he has never looked back. Now we sometimes must restrict Conker a little as he can get rather round! On arrival he bonded very quickly with our aged Exmoor pony Willow, aged at that time 31 years old. They were never very far away from each other but sadly in February this year we lost Willow to age related issues. We thought initially that Conker would not cope with out his ‘guide-pony’ but he came to terms with Willow’s death and has since bonded with another of our older ponies, Little Dude. Conker will never leave sanctuary, his needs are complex and this is his safe home, people he knows by voice, kind hands and his pony friends. Your sponsorship helps cover the costs of the veterinary needs for Conker which are his periodic eye drops and his daily Vitex Settle-Me supplement which keeps him calm in any situations that he may deem stressful. Please follow our daily blog on Facebook @Equine Market Watch Sanctuaries UK to read all about what is going on in Conker’s world as well as our other news and views.
CONKER AND HIS LITTLE PAL DUDE BREAKFAST TIME MAY 2026
OTHER WAYS TO DONATE TO THIS CHARITYLEAVING A LEGACY Click for our legacy informationA DONATION IN REMEMBERENCE OF A LOVED ONEwww.muchloved.com PLEDGING A MONTHLY DONATION BY STANDING ORDERemail emw@emwuk.org.uk for bank details ENTERING OUR MONTHLY PRIZE DRAWfollow us on Facebook @Equine market Watch Santuaries UK for this and for OUR REGULAR ONLINE FUNDRAISING AUCTIONS