South West equine rescue charity The Mare and Foal Sanctuary is seeking a loving new home at long last for a grey moorland pony called Alan.

To the surprise of his dedicated care team, this gentle, peanut butter-loving pony has been patiently waiting on the charity’s rehoming list for more than 450 days.

The charity’s Sanctuary at Home rehoming scheme places rescued horses and ponies with approved carers on a long-term loan basis, while the Sanctuary retains ownership. Carers give the horse or pony a loving, day-to-day home life, while having access to expert advice, support and guidance from the Sanctuary’s welfare and rehoming team.

This means each pony enjoys individual attention in a home environment, and the Sanctuary can free up space at its sites to help more equines in need.

The 17-year-old companion pony Alan is described as sweet, curious and quietly confident once he knows and trusts his handler. His care team at the Sanctuary’s Yelverton Moorland Rescue Facility says he loves long walks in the lanes, can’t get enough of peanut butter and enjoys following them around the yard.

Alan’s assigned handler at the Sanctuary, Mhaya Holloway, said: ‘Alan would make an amazing pony for the right carer; he’s such a sweet soul. You often hear people say that if a rescued animal hasn’t been re-homed, there must be a reason, but that’s definitely not the case with Alan.

‘He and I have a really lovely connection, and he seems to know when I need him to be there for me. He’s such a reassuring presence. He’s good for the vet, he stands nicely for the farrier with a hay net, and we’ve done a lot of training, so we really understand his needs.

"It’s so sad to see him being overlooked every month and we don’t understand it. We all feel it’s time he found a happy home and can benefit from one–to–one care with someone who wants to learn and grow alongside him. He has so much love to give and whoever re-homes him will be very lucky. ‘

Jenna Goldby , the sanctuary’s head of welfare, said: ‘Ponies like Alan can transform the lives of the horses they live with, as well as the people who care for them.

’We are specialists in training and preparing ponies for rehoming, and we understand their needs and the benefits and joy they bring into people’s lives. Non–ridden ponies can be incredibly rewarding for someone looking for a close relationship, daily purpose and the chance to learn new skills alongside a pony.

‘Our teams know these horses and ponies extremely well and have invested a great deal of time in their handling and training so they’re as well prepared as possible for life in a new home.. We feel it’s a privilege to care for ponies like Alan, and we hope someone will recognise that and give him the future he deserves.’

Details about Alan are available on The Mare and Foal Sanctuary’s website: https://mareandfoal.org/rehoming/alan.